May 28, vs. Southeastern Oklahoma State University
The Cougars rallied once, but then suffered a heart-breaking loss as second-seeded Southeastern Oklahoma State (ranked #3 in the final NAIA poll) eliminated MVNC from the NAIA World Series with a 6-5 win in ten innings. Through the first eight innings, the Cougars managed just two hits (singles by Bob Hartless and Mike Sorbin) as the Savages built a 5-0 lead going into the bottom of the ninth inning. However, in the bottom of the ninth, Hartless drove in two runs and Sean Barrett, Chris Iceman, and Travis Gray each drove in a run to tie the score at 5-5. Then, in the top of the tenth, Southeastern Oklahoma State scored an unearned run on a throwing error and a passed ball. Starter Marty McLeary allowed eight hits, four walks, and four earned runs in seven innings of work. Dave Byard (9-2) suffered the loss in relief as he allowed three hits, three walks, and two runs in three innings of work. Hartless led the offense with two hits as MVNC finished the season with a school-best 47-8 record. BOXSCORE
May 24, vs. Dominican (NY) College
MVNC rebounded from its first-round loss to eliminate the Chargers from the NAIA World Series with a 10-0 victory in loser's bracket action. Mike Patch (12-0) was outstanding on the mound for the Cougars as he tied the school record for pitching victories in a season by notching his 12th win. He worked all seven innings for his school-record ninth career shutout. He allowed just five hits and no walks while recording five strikeouts and throwing just 83 pitches. Meanwhile, Brad Nelson paced the offense with a double and two singles. Sean Barrett, Chris Iceman, and Scott Dapprich each added two hits apiece with Barrett driving in three runs. MVNC scored a run in the top of the second inning and plated two runs in both the fourth and fifth innings to take control of the game. The Cougars tied an NAIA World Series record by turning five double plays, while the two teams combined for a record-tying six double plays. BOXSCORE
May 23, vs. Cumberland (TN) University
In their first-ever appearance in the NAIA World Series, the fifth-seeded Cougars fell to fourth-seeded Cumberland 8-4 in first round action. The Bulldogs jumped out to a 7-0 lead after 5 1/2 innings and held on for the win. MVNC finally got on the scoreboard in the bottom of the sixth inning when Bob Hartless hit a solo homerun to leftfield and Travis Gray scored on Sean Barrett's RBI-single. The Cougars added single runs in both the seventh and the ninth as Mike Sorbin recorded a sacrifice fly and a run-scoring single. Starter Marty McLeary (10-2) suffered his second career loss as he allowed seven hits, six walks, and seven earned runs in 5 1/3 innings of work. He also recorded five strikeouts. Jeremiah Armstrong worked the final 3 2/3 innings and allowed three hits, two walks, and one earned run. Brad Nelson paced the offense with a double and a single, while Hartless, Barrett, Sorbin, Gary Klingel, and Chris Iceman each recorded one hit. BOXSCORE
May 17, vs. College of St. Francis (IL)
MVNC rallied for a 3-2 victory over the Fighting Saints in the championship game of the NAIA Great Lakes Regional Tournament. With the win, the Cougars earn their first-ever trip to the NAIA World Series. St. Francis scored two runs in the top of the fourth inning to take the lead, but MVNC tied the score at 2-2 in the bottom of the sixth when Mike Sorbin scored on a double play ground-out and Gary Klingel hit a two-out RBI-single. Then, in the bottom of the eighth, Klingel hit a sacrifice fly to right field to score Bob Hartless with what would be the winning run. Jeremiah Armstrong (4-2) went the distance on the mound for the Cougars. He allowed just four hits, three walks, and two earned runs in nine innings of work. He also recorded three strikeouts. Travis Gray led MVNC with two hits, while Klingel, Hartless, Scott Dapprich, and Chris Iceman each recorded on hit apiece. BOXSCORE
May 17, vs. Madonna University
The Cougars advanced to the championship game of the NAIA Great Lakes Regional Tournament with a 13-1 victory over Madonna. MVNC got things going with eight runs in the bottom of the first inning and never looked back. Travis Gray drove in three runs in the inning with two singles, while Gary Klingel added a two-run double. Meanwhile, Dave Byard (9-1) earned the win with nine strong innings in which he allowed eight hits, two walks, and one unearned run. He also recorded three strikeouts. Gray led the Cougars with three hits and four runs batted in. His third-inning RBI-double was his 77th hit of the season, breaking the previous single-season school record for hits. Brad Nelson and J.K. Waers each added two hits to the winning attack. BOXSCORE
May 16, vs. Marian (IN) College
MVNC set a new school record for wins in a season with 44 as the Cougars posted an exciting 11-9 come-from-behind victory over Marian in the winner's bracket finals of the NAIA Great Lakes Regional Tournament. MVNC got on the scoreboard early with three runs in the top of the first inning, but the Knights answered with a run in the first and five runs in the third to take a 6-3 lead. Marian added single runs in the fourth, fifth, and sixth innings to offset three runs that the Cougars scored in the top of the sixth. Trailing 9-6, MVNC scored a run in the eighth to close the gap to 9-7. In the top of the ninth, the first two Cougars were retired and MVNC was one out away from the loser's bracket. However, six consecutive hits later, the Cougars had pushed four runs across the plate and were on their way to the semi-finals as the lone undefeated team. Mike Waddell (2-0) earned the win with 5 2/3 innings of relief in which he allowed five hits, two walks, and two earned runs. Sean Barrett led the 16-hit MVNC attack with two doubles and two singles. Barrett now has 20 doubles on the season, eclipsing the previous single-season school record of 19. Brian Sheets and Bob Hartless each added three hits. BOXSCORE
May 16, vs. Aquinas (MI) College
The Cougars tied the school record for wins in a season as they earned their 43rd victory of the season with an 8-1 win over Aquinas in the NAIA Great Lakes Regional Tournament. MVNC built a 3-0 lead after five trips to the plate, but the Saints pushed across a run in the bottom of the fifth inning to trim the margin to 3-1. That would be as close as they would get as the Cougars scored two times in the seventh and then added three more runs in the ninth. Mike Patch (11-0) earned the win with a complete game performance. He scattered nine hits, three walks, and one earned run over nine innings with six strikeouts. Bob Hartless and Travis Gray led the MVNC offense with three hits each, while Chris Iceman and J.K. Waers added two hits apiece. BOXSCORE
May 14, vs. Bethel (IN) College
MVNC opened play in the NAIA Great Lakes Regional Tournament with a 5-2 victory over the Pilots, ranked #20 in the NAIA, at Bailey Park in Battle Creek, Michigan. After Bethel took a 1-0 lead in the top of the first inning, the Cougars took control of the game with five runs in the bottom of the first and held on for the win. The big blow in the inning was a three-run homerun by Travis Gray. It was Gray's 18th homer of the season, tying the school record set by Mel Severns in 1985. Marty McLeary (10-1) earned the win with a complete game performance. He scattered seven hits, four walks, and two earned runs over nine innings while striking out three batters. MVNC managed just five hits in the game, but made the most of them. Gray led the way with two hits, while Bob Hartless, Brad Nelson, and Chris Iceman each added one hit. BOXSCORE
May 9, TIFFIN UNIVERSITY
The Cougars were eliminated from the Mid-Ohio Conference Tournament as they dropped a 10-8 decision to Tiffin. The Dragons scored six runs in the bottom of the second inning and increased their lead to 10-3 after four innings. The Cougars tried to rally but came up just short as they stranded 13 runners on base for the game. Scott Dapprich, Bob Hartless, Brad Nelson, Sean Barrett, and Brian Sheets each recorded three hits apiece as MVNC pounded out 17 hits in the game. However, the Cougars' defense hurt them as six errors led to seven unearned Tiffin runs. Dave Byard (8-1) suffered the loss as he allowed 10 runs (only three earned) and nine hits over five innings. Kevin Stafford worked two scoreless innings and allowed one hit and one walk while recording one strikeout. Andy Newcomb worked one perfect inning and recorded a strikeout. Despite the loss, MVNC will receive an at-large berth in the NAIA Great Lakes Region Tournament. BOXSCORE
May 9, OHIO DOMINICAN COLLEGE
MVNC suffered its first loss in the Mid-Ohio Conference Tournament as the Cougars fell 11-8 to second-seeded Ohio Dominican. After six innings, the Panthers had built a 7-0 lead to seemingly take control of the game. Then, in the top of the seventh inning, Travis Gray and Gary Klingel each blasted two-run homeruns and Brian Sheets added an RBI-single to trim the lead to 7-5. After shutting down Ohio Dominican in the bottom of the seventh, Klingel ripped a two-run double to center to tie the score at 7-7 in the top of the eighth. Sean Barrett followed with a single to center to give MVNC an 8-7 lead. However, the lead was short-lived as the Panthers pushed across four runs in the bottom of the eighth to pull away for the victory. Marty McLeary worked six innings and allowed nine hits, four walks, and five earned runs. Jeremiah Armstrong (3-2) suffered the loss in relief as he allowed four earned runs and five hits in 1 2/3 innings of work. Klingel, Barrett, and Mike Sorbin each had three hits to pace the offense. BOXSCORE
May 7, UNIVERSITY OF FINDLAY
The Cougars advanced to the winner's bracket championship game with a 10-7 win over fourth-seeded Findlay in the Mid-Ohio Conference Tournament. The victory also upped MVNC's winning streak to 22 consecutive games. After the Oilers scored two runs in the top of the first inning, the Cougars answered with four runs in the bottom of the first, two coming on Chris Iceman's two-out single. MVNC built the lead to 7-2 with three runs in the fourth, but Findlay answered with four runs in the fifth. Then, the Cougars added two more runs in their half of the fifth on Scott Dapprich's two-run single. Andy Heimbach (8-1) worked 7 2/3 innings for the win. He allowed nine hits, six walks, and seven earned runs while recording three strikeouts. Jeremiah Armstrong worked the final 1 1/3 inning for his first save as he allowed a hit and a walk with one strikeout. Dapprich, Travis Gray, Gary Klingel, and J.K. Waers each had two hits to lead the offense. BOXSCORE
May 7, MALONE COLLEGE
MVNC successfully opened the Mid-Ohio Conference Tournament with a 12-9 victory over the sixth-seeded Pioneers. Offense was the name of this game as the two teams combined for 32 hits. Sean Barrett led the Cougars with a 3-for-4 performance at the plate as MVNC extended its winning streak to 21 straight games. Gary Klingel was 3-for-5, while Travis Gray, Brian Sheets, Chris Iceman, and Mike Sorbin each added two hits to the winning attack. Mike Patch (10-0) benefitted from the offensive outburst as he picked up the win. He worked seven innings and allowed 14 hits and five earned runs. He also recorded four strikeouts. Mike Waddell pitched the final two innings and allowed two hits and one run with one strikeout. The Cougars rallied from a 2-0 deficit with a run in the bottom of the second inning and three more runs in the third. After Malone trimmed the lead to 4-3 in the fourth, MVNC pushed four runs across the plate in the fifth and never looked back. BOXSCORE
May 3, at Bethel (IN) College
The Cougars claimed an unprecedented third straight NCCAA national crown as they knocked off second-seeded Bethel 11-2 in the championship game of the 1997 NCCAA National Tournament. MVNC broke open a 1-1 tie with seven runs in the top of the fifth inning. Bob Hartless and Sean Barrett each had two-run singles in the inning, while Mike Sorbin added a two-run double. Marty McLeary (9-1) earned the win with a complete game four-hitter. Meanwhile, Hartless led the offense with three hits, while Barrett, Sorbin, Travis Gray, and Chris Iceman each finished with two hits apiece. Gray was named the tournament's most valuable player, and was joined on the all-tournament team by McLeary, Iceman, Scott Dapprich, and Gary Klingel. Gray also became the Cougars' career triples leader when he hit his 19th with two outs in the top of the first. In addition, he broke his own school record for runs scored in a season.BOXSCORE
May 1, vs. Spring Arbor (MI) College
MVNC extended its winning streak to 19 straight games as the Cougars knocked off Spring Arbor 12-4 in the NCCAA National Tournament. Spring Arbor took a 4-0 lead after scoring three runs in the top of the first inning and one run in the third. However, MVNC rallied back with six runs in the bottom of the third inning. In the inning, Scott Dapprich had a two-run double, Travis Gray had an RBI-single, Brad Nelson had a run-scoring double, and Gary Klingel hit a sacrifice fly as the Cougars pulled ahead 6-4. Gray added a three-run homerun in the fourth and J.K. Waers hit a solo homer in the sixth to provide MVNC with some insurance. Dave Byard (8-0) went the distance on the mound for the Cougars. he allowed six hits, two walks, and four earned runs while striking out six batters. Dapprich, Gray, and Waers each had two hits to pace the offense. BOXSCORE
May 1, vs. Trinity Christian (IL) College
The Cougars played homerun derby as they opened play in the 1997 NCCAA National Tournament with a 17-4 victory over Trinity Christian in Mishawaka, Indiana. Travis Gray tied an MVNC single-game record as he blasted three homers in the game. In addition to Gray, Gary Klingel pounded two homeruns, Scott Dapprich smashed a grand slam, and Brad Nelson added a three-run shot as the Cougars tied a team record with seven homeruns. Mike Patch (9-0) benefitted from the offensive fireworks as he tossed six innings and allowed five hits, three walks, and four earned runs. He also struck out seven batters. Dapprich led the hit parade with a 4-for-5 performance with three runs scored and five runs batted in. Gray and Chris Iceman each added three hits apiece, while Nelson and Klingel both had two hits. BOXSCORE
April 29, KENYON COLLEGE
MVNC won its 17th straight game as the Cougars downed cross-county rival Kenyon 11-3 in the regular-season home finale. MVNC broke a scoreless tie with three runs in the bottom of the third inning. Bob Hartless had an RBI-double and later scored on an error, while Brad Nelson drove in a run with an RBI-ground out. After adding a run in the fourth on Travis Gray's RBI-double, the Cougars scored three more times in the fifth to make it 7-0. Brian Sheets had a run-scoring single and Mike Sorbin drove in two with a perfectly executed suicide squeeze. After the Lords trimmed the lead to 7-3 in the top of the sixth, Gray blasted a two-run homer to right in the bottom of the sixth. Jeremiah Armstrong (3-1) worked five innings for the win. He allowed six hits, one walk, and two earned runs while striking out six. Mike Waddell and Andy Newcomb combined to pitch four scoreless innings of relief and allowed just one hit. Gary Klingel led the 12-hit attack with three hits. BOXSCORE
April 26, CEDARVILLE COLLEGE
The Cougars earned the right to defend their NCCAA national title with a 9-0 victory over Cedarville to sweep the best-of-three NCCAA District I series. The win also extended MVNC's winning streak to 16 straight games. Andy Heimbach (7-1) gave a strong performance on the mound as he limited the Yellow Jackets to only four hits as he tossed his team-leading fifth shutout of the season, eclipsing the single-season record set by Mike Patch last season. He also recorded five strikeouts. Meanwhile, Travis Gray got things going in the first inning with an RBI-double to right field for all the runs the Cougars would need. Gray rapped another RBI-double to right in the third, and Scott Dapprich and Bob Hartless each drove in a run in the fourth for a 4-0 lead. Then, in the sixth, MVNC capped off the scoring with a two-run double from Hartless and a three-run homerun by Brad Nelson. Hartless, Gray, Scott Dapprich, and Chris Stanifer each finished with two hits. BOXSCORE
April 26, CEDARVILLE COLLEGE
In the first game of a best-of-three series to decide the NCCAA District I title, MVNC knocked off the Yellow Jackets 4-1 for the Cougars' fifteenth straight victory. Cedarville scored an unearned run in the top of the first inning, but would not dent the plate again as Marty McLeary (8-1) shut them down. McLeary worked all seven innings and allowed just three hits and no walks while fanning eight batters. MVNC tied the game on Brad Nelson's sacrifice fly in the bottom of the third inning. Then, Mike Sorbin put the Cougars ahead with an RBI-single in the fourth. Nelson and Sean Barrett added RBI-singles in the fifth to give MVNC some insurance. Bob Hartless led the offense with three hits, while Mike Sorbin added two hits. Travis Gray hit the 18th triple of his career to move into a tie with Joel Perez as the Cougars' all-time leaders in that category. It was his seventh triple of the season, setting a new single-season mark. Scott Dapprich also became the Cougars' career leader in games played (185). BOXSCORE
April 24, MUSKINGUM COLLEGE
The Cougars extended their winning streak to 14 consecutive games with a 7-1 non-conference victory over Muskingum. MVNC took control with three runs in the bottom of the first inning as Travis Gray and Gary Klingel each had RBI-ground outs and Brad Nelson ripped a run-scoring triple to right field. The Fighting Muskies answered with a run in the top of the second, but Gray led off the bottom of the third with a solo homerun and Brian Sheets added an RBI-single to make it 5-1. The Cougars added single runs in the fourth and seventh innings on sacrifice flies by Bob Hartless and Nelson. Dave Byard (7-0) earned the win with eight strong innings of work in which he allowed five hits, two walks, and one earned run. He also struck out six batters. Mike Waddell worked the final inning and allowed one hit while recording one strikeout. Gray, Nelson, and Hartless each had two hits to pace MVNC. With his two hits, Gray became the Cougars' all-time hits leader with 232, surpassing Joel Perez. BOXSCORE
April 19, at Shawnee State University
MVNC won its third straight Mid-Ohio Conference regular-season title and increased their winning streak to 13 straight games as the Cougars pounded Shawnee State 13-3 in the second game of a twinbill. After trailing 1-0, MVNC scored five times in both the third and fourth innings to take control of the game. Travis Gray led the offense with a 3-for-3 performance that included a triple, two singles, three runs scored, and five runs batted in. Sean Barrett, Gary Klingel, and Chris Stanifer each added two hits apiece for the Cougars. Dave Byard (6-0) picked up the win with five innings of work. He allowed five hits, two walks, and three earned runs while striking out seven batters. BOXSCORE
April 19, at Shawnee State University
The Cougars clinched at least a share of the Mid-Ohio Conference regular-season title with a 4-0 victory over Shawnee State in the first game of a doubleheader. Andy Heimbach (6-1) notched his second shutout of the season as he limited the Bears to just five hits and three walks over seven innings. He also recorded five strikeouts. Meanwhile, MVNC got on the board in the top of the first inning when Travis Gray hit a two-out solo homerun. The Cougars added two more runs in the second and capped off their scoring on an RBI-double by Gray in the fifth. Gray, Sean Barrett, and Gary Klingel each finished with two hits in the winning effort. BOXSCORE
April 18, at Walsh University
MVNC upped its winning streak to 11 in a row with a 12-1 Mid-Ohio Conference victory over the Cavaliers in the second game of a twinbill. The Cougars built an 11-0 lead before Walsh scored an unearned run in the bottom of the fourth inning. MVNC pounded four homeruns in the contest - two by Gary Klingel and one each by Sean Barrett and Brad Nelson. Nelson led off the top of the second with a solo homer and Klingel drilled a two-run homer to cap the three-run inning. Then, in the fourth, Barrett hit a three-run blast and Klingel followed it with a solo shot. Klingel finished the game with a double, two homeruns, three runs scored, and four runs batted in. Nelson also went 3-for-3 with two doubles and a homerun. Barrett and Chris Iceman each added two hits. Marty McLeary (7-1) benefitted from the offensive outburst, but he also did his part by throwing a one-hitter and allowing five walks over five innings. He also recorded three strikeouts. BOXSCORE
April 18, at Walsh University
The Cougars won their tenth straight game with a 7-3 victory over Walsh in the first game of a Mid-Ohio Conference doubleheader. MVNC built a 7-0 lead through five innings and held on for the win. Mike Patch (8-0) scattered nine hits and three earned runs over seven innings to earn the victory. He also recorded four strikeouts. Meanwhile, Gary Klingel paced the Cougars' offensive attack with a homerun and a single. Scott Dapprich, Travis Gray, Sean Barrett, and Chris Iceman each added two hits apiece. BOXSCORE
April 15, UNIVERSITY OF RIO GRANDE
MVNC extended its winning streak to nine straight with an 11-1 Mid-Ohio Conference victory over the Redmen in the second game of a twinbill. Once again, the Cougars got another outstanding pitching performance and combined it with timely hitting. Dave Byard (5-0) remained unbeaten this season as he worked six innings and allowed four hits, one walk, and one unearned run. He also recorded four strikeouts. Meanwhile, MVNC used two big innings - a six-run third inning and a five-run sixth inning - to end the game early. Brian Sheets and Brad Nelson each had two hits in the game to the lead the Cougars. Sheets, Nelson, Sean Barrett, and Travis Gray all homered as MVNC made the most of its nine hits. BOXSCORE
April 15, UNIVERSITY OF RIO GRANDE
The Cougars made it eight wins in a row with a 10-0 victory over Rio Grande in the first game of a Mid-Ohio Conference doubleheader. Andy Heimbach (5-1) fired a one-hitter as he went all five innings and struck out nine Redmen. Mike Sorbin and Scott Dapprich led the offensive attack with three hits apiece, while Chris Iceman added two hits. J.K. Waers continued to swing the bat well as he blasted a solo homer to centerfield leading off the third inning. After scoring a run in the bottom of the first, MVNC scored three runs in third, fourth, and fifth innings to end the game early. BOXSCORE
April 14, UNIVERSITY OF FINDLAY
It took MVNC nine innings, but the Cougars finally broke through for a 2-1 victory in the second game of a Mid-Ohio Conference twinbill. MVNC took a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning on an RBI-single by Bob Hartless. From that point, the game became a pitchers' duel until the Oilers pushed across a run in the top of the seventh. The score remained deadlocked at 1-1 until Gary Klingel ended the game with a two-out homerun to left centerfield in the bottom of the ninth. The blast made a winner out of Marty McLeary (6-1), who pitched all nine innings. McLeary pitched a one-hitter and struck out seven batters while walking seven. Brian Sheets led the offense by going 2-for-2 with a stolen base, while Hartless, Klingel, and Sean Barrett each had one hit. BOXSCORE
April 14, UNIVERSITY OF FINDLAY
The Cougars won their sixth straight game with an 8-3 Mid-Ohio Conference victory in the first game of a doubleheader against Findlay. After spotting the Oilers an unearned run in the first inning, J.K. Waers gave MVNC a 3-1 lead with a three-run homer in the bottom of the second. Findlay battled back to tie the score at 3-3 with single runs in the third and fourth, but the Cougars took the lead for good with three runs in the fifth. Mike Patch (7-0) picked up the win by going all seven innings and allowing ten hits, two walks, and two earned runs. He also struck out three batters. Travis Gray led the offense by going 3-for-4, while Waers finished with two hits and three runs batted in. Bob Hartless added a two-run homerun for MVNC in the sixth. BOXSCORE
April 10, at Tiffin University
MVNC upped its winning streak to five in a row as the Cougars claimed a 9-1 Mid-Ohio Conference victory in the second game of a twinbill. Once again, MVNC received a strong pitching performance as Dave Byard (4-0) went the distance on the mound. He worked seven innings and allowed six hits, three walks, and one earned run while striking out four batters. The Cougars snapped a 1-1 tie with an eight-run fifth inning, highlighted by two homeruns by J.K. Waers. Waers, the first MVNC player ever to accomplish this feat, led off the inning with a solo blast and later drilled a three-run shot over the fence. Brad Nelson also added a homerun and three RBI in his 2-for-2 performance. BOXSCORE
April 10, at Tiffin University
The Cougars continued to roll as they won their fourth straight game with a 10-0 victory over Tiffin in the first game of a Mid-Ohio Conference doubleheader. Andy Heimbach (4-1) bounced back from his first loss of the year by tossing a one-hit shutout. Over five innings, he walked one batter and recorded three strikeouts. MVNC got things going with three runs in the first inning and four more in the second as the Cougars cruised to the victory. Scott Dapprich led the offensive charge with a 3-for-4 performance, while Sean Barrett added a homerun, a single, three runs scored, and three runs batted in. Bob Hartless, Travis Gray, Brad Nelson, Gary Klingel, and Chris Stanifer each recorded two hits as part of the 16-hit attack. BOXSCORE
April 8, URBANA UNIVERSITY
MVNC won its third straight game with a 13-1 Mid-Ohio Conference victory over the Blue Knights in the second game of a twinbill. After giving up a run in the top of the first inning, Marty McCleary (5-1) held Urbana in check, while the Cougar offense recorded 13 hits. McLeary went all five innings and allowed one earned run, three hits, and four walks. He also recorded five strikeouts. Bob Hartless led the MVNC offensive attack with a 3-for-4 performance that included three runs scored and three runs batted in. Gary Klingel and Mike Sorbin each went 2-for-2 with Klingel driving in three runs. The Cougars exploded for seven runs in the fourth inning to end the game early. BOXSCORE
April 8, URBANA UNIVERSITY
The Cougars held on for a hard-fought 10-8 Mid-Ohio Conference victory in the first game of a doubleheader against the Blue Knights. After Urbana scored two runs in the top of the first inning, MVNC regained the lead with three runs in their half of the first. The Cougars added three runs in both the fourth and fifth to increase the lead to 9-2. However, the Blue Knights made things exciting with two runs in the sixth and four runs in the seventh. Mike Patch (6-0) worked 6 2/3 innings and allowed 12 hits, six earned runs, and a walk while striking out four batters. Mike Waddell recorded the final out for his first save of the year. Offensively, MVNC was led by Gary Klingel and Mike Sorbin, who both went 2-for-3. Scott Dapprich, Brad Nelson, and Sean Barrett also recorded two hits apiece. BOXSCORE
April 7, at Malone College
MVNC stopped their two-game losing skid with a great pitching performance from Dave Byard (3-0) as the Cougars defeated Malone 6-1 in the second game of a Mid-Ohio Conference doubleheader. The freshman tossed a no-hitter and allowed only seven walks and an unearned run in his complete game performance. He also recorded four strikeouts. Travis Gray put MVNC on the scoreboard in the top of the first inning with a two-run homerun and the Cougars never looked back. Bob Hartless added a three-run homer in the seventh. Hartless and Chris Iceman paced the offense with two hits apiece. BOXSCORE
April 7, at Malone College
The Cougars lost their second straight game as Malone rallied for an 8-7 victory in the first game of a Mid-Ohio Conference doubleheader. MVNC led 7-1 heading into the bottom of the seventh inning, but the Pioneers scored seven runs in their final at bat for the come-from-behind win. Andy Heimbach (3-1) suffered the loss for the Cougars. He worked 6 1/3 innings and allowed ten hits and seven earned runs. He also walked three batters and recorded five strikeouts. Andy Newcomb recorded a strikeout for the second out of the seventh inning, but also allowed two hits. Offensively, MVNC was led by Mike Sorbin with three hits. Travis Gray, Gary Klingel, Sean Barrett, and Chris Iceman added two hits each. BOXSCORE
April 4, OHIO WESLEYAN UNIVERSITY
MVNC tried to rally from an eight-run lead, but their comeback came up just short as they fell to the Battling Bishops 14-12 in non-conference action. Ohio Wesleyan, ranked #27 in NCAA Division III, turned a 4-2 deficit into a 10-4 lead with a seven-run third inning. After the Cougars trimmed the lead to 10-6 in the bottom of the third, the Battling Bishops added a run in the fourth and three more runs in the fifth for a 14-6 advantage. However, the MVNC pitching staff would shut them out from that point on, while the Cougar offense continued to score to make things interesting. Kevin Stafford (2-1) suffered the loss by allowing five runs in just two innings of work. Mike Waddell followed with three innings of work in which he gave up nine earned runs. Andy Heimbach pitched three scoreless innings and Dave Byard added a scoreless ninth. Meanwhile, Sean Barrett led the MVNC offense with three hits and four runs batted in. Chris Stanifer and Brad Nelson also added three hits as the Cougars collected 18 hits on the day. BOXSCORE
April 1, OHIO DOMINICAN COLLEGE
In the second game of a doubleheader, the Cougars got another strong pitching performance as they defeated #12 Ohio Dominican College 4-1 to improve to 4-0 in the Mid-Ohio Conference. Marty McLeary (4-1) rebounded from his first collegiate loss to throw a complete game one-hitter as he allowed just one run and two walks while striking out six batters. Offensively, MVNC was led by Bob Hartless with a double and a single, while Gary Klingel also added two hits and an RBI. Travis Gray finished with an RBI-single in his only official at bat. BOXSCORE
April 1, OHIO DOMINICAN COLLEGE
In a match-up of nationally-ranked teams, MVNC prevailed with a 4-1 Mid-Ohio Conference victory over the Panthers, ranked #12 in the latest NAIA poll. The Cougars combined timely-hitting and a strong pitching performance from Mike Patch (5-0) to earn the win. MVNC scored three runs in the bottom of the fourth inning to break the scoreless tie. Ohio Dominican scored their only run in the fifth, but the Cougars added an insurance run in the sixth. Patch went all seven innings and allowed four hits, one walk, and the one run. He also recorded five strikeouts. Meanwhile, the MVNC offense was led by Sean Barrett, who went 2-for-3 with an RBI. Travis Gray added a solo homerun and Gary Klingel recorded an RBI-single. BOXSCORE
March 31, at Cedarville College
The Cougars improved to 2-0 in the Mid-Ohio Conference with a 13-7 victory over Cedarville in the second game of a twinbill. MVNC got things going in the top of the first with six runs as they sent 12 batters to the plate. The Cougars added three runs in the second, two runs in the third, and a run in the fourth to take a commanding 12-1 lead. The Yellow Jackets answered with four runs in their half of the fourth, but MVNC held on for the win. Andy Heimbach (3-0) earned the win by going five innings and allowing eight hits, three walks, and three earned runs. He also recorded four strikeouts. Andy Newcomb worked the final two innings and gave up two runs and three hits while striking out two batters. Brian Sheets rapped three hits in the contest, while Bob Hartless, Chris Iceman, Sean Barrett, and J.K. Waers each recorded a pair of hits. BOXSCORE
March 31, at Cedarville College
MVNC opened Mid-Ohio Conference play by claiming a 12-1 victory over the Yellow Jackets in the first game of a doubleheader. The Cougars scored a run in the first inning on an RBI-double by Travis Gray, and then added four runs in the second. Cedarville scored their only run in the fifth to cut the lead to 7-1, but MVNC scored five times in the sixth to end the game early. Jeremiah Armstrong (2-1) picked up the win by working five innings and allowing just one run, five hits, and five walks. He also struck out ten batters. Kevin Stafford pitched a perfect sixth and recorded two strikeouts. Chris Stanifer and Scott Dapprich each pounded three hits, while Gray, Chris Iceman, and Mike Sorbin added two hits apiece. BOXSCORE
March 28, vs. University of St. Thomas (MN)
The Cougars dropped their second game of the season in extra innings as they fell 3-2 to St. Thomas in eight innings in the final game of their spring trip to Fort Myers. MVNC took a 1-0 lead in the top of the third on an RBI-single by Travis Gray. However, the Tommies answered with two runs in the bottom of the fifth to take a one-run lead of their own. The Cougars responded right away in the top of the sixth as Gray led the inning off with a triple. One out later, Sean Barrett doubled him home to tie the score. Meanwhile, Marty McLeary (3-1) was working hard on the mound. Through seven innings, he allowed only four hits and four walks while striking out 11 batters. However, in the bottom of the eighth, he gave up a double and three walks as St. Thomas prevailed. For McLeary, it marked his first collegiate loss. Gray, Barrett, and Scott Dapprich each finished with two hits for MVNC. BOXSCORE
March 28, vs. Hartwick (NY) College
MVNC avenged their first loss of the season with a 14-0 victory over the Hawks at Fort Myers. After a scoreless first inning, the Cougars sent 10 batters to the plate as they scored seven runs in the inning. They did not stop there as they scored three times in the fourth and four more times in the fifth to end the game early. Sean Barrett had the biggest blow of the game, a grand slam in the fifth inning. Mike Patch (4-0) benefitted from the scoring outburst as he went the distance on the mound. He allowed just two hits and struck out seven batter for his eighth career shutout, an MVNC record. BOXSCORE
March 27, vs. Coker (SC) College
After 14 consecutive victories to open the season, the Cougars suffered their first loss as they fell 8-4 to Coker. MVNC built a 4-2 lead after two innings as Sean Barrett hit a two-run single in the first and J.K. Waers added a second inning RBI-double followed by a sacrifice fly by Bob Hartless. However, the Cobras exploded for six runs in the fifth and held on for the win. Starter Jeremiah Armstrong (1-1) took the loss for the Cougars. He worked 4 1/3 innings and allowed six runs, nine hits, and three walks. He also recorded four strikouts. Mike Waddell came on in relief and worked the final 2 2/3 innings, giving up two runs, two hits, and two walks while fanning five batters. Travis Gray, Scott Dapprich, and Chris Stanifer each recorded two singles for MVNC. BOXSCORE
March 27, vs. Geneva (PA) College
MVNC's winning streak reached 14 straight as the Cougars downed Geneva 9-3 at Fort Myers. Andy Heimbach (2-0) went the distance on the mound as he threw a complete game two-hitter. He allowed five walks and two earned runs while striking out six batters. Meanwhile, Travis Gray led the MVNC offense by going 3-for-3 with two doubles, a homerun, and a sacrifice fly. Bob Hartless, Brad Nelson, and Mike Sorbin each added two hits to the winning attack. BOXSCORE
March 25, vs. Sioux Falls (SD) College
The Cougars increased their winning streak to 13 in a row as they defeated Sioux Falls 8-4 to sweep the twinbill at Cape Coral. MVNC took a 4-0 lead in the third inning only to see Sioux Falls tie things up with four runs in the top of the sixth. However, the Cougars answered with four runs in their half of the sixth on an RBI-double by Travis Gray, a two-run triple by Brad Nelson, and an RBI-single by Sean Barrett. Dave Byard (2-0) earned the win with six innings of work. He allowed four hits, four earned runs, and five walks. He also struck out six batters. Andy Newcomb pitched the seventh and retired all three batters he faced. Nelson and Scott Dapprich each had three hits in the game, while Barrett, Bob Hartless, and Chris Iceman added two hits apiece. BOXSCORE
March 25, vs. Sioux Falls (SD) College
MVNC took the first of two games against Sioux Falls by the score of 11-1 at Cape Coral. The Cougars started the game with three runs in the first inning, highlighted by a solo homerun by Sean Barrett. After adding another run in the second, MVNC exploded for six runs in the third on just four hits. Sioux Falls finally scored a run in the bottom of the third, but that would be the extent of their run production. Kevin Stafford (2-0) earned the win with four innings of work in which he allowed just four hits and one earned run. He also recorded five strikeouts. Scott Schlabach came in to pitch the fifth and retired the side in order. Barrett, Mike Sorbin, and Scott Dapprich led the offensive attack with two hits each. BOXSCORE
March 24, vs. Muskingum College
The Cougars rallied from an early deficit to post a 10-7 victory against Muskingum at Fort Myers. After trailing 4-1, Travis Gray tied the score in the bottom of the second inning with a two-out, three-run homerun. MVNC added four more runs in the third with two outs as J.K. Waers got things started with an RBI-single. The Fighting Muskies closed to within 8-7 in the fourth, but an RBI-double by Brad Nelson and a run-scoring single by Chris Iceman in the sixth gave the Cougars a three-run cushion. Marty McLeary (3-0) went the distance on the mound for MVNC. He allowed four earned runs, eight hits, and three walks. He also recorded six strikeouts. Waers, Nelson, Gray, and Scott Dapprich each contributed two hits apiece to pace the Cougars' offense. BOXSCORE
March 24, vs. Augustana (SD) College
MVNC built an early lead and then held on for a 6-3 victory over the Vikings at Fort Myers to run their winning streak to ten straight. The Cougars scored a run in the first inning, two runs in the second, and two more in the fifth to take a 5-0 lead. Augustana answered with three runs in the bottom of the sixth to close the gap to 5-3, but MVNC added an insurance run in the seventh. Mike Patch (3-0) pitched a complete game for the Cougars, allowing three runs and eight hits while fanning four batters. Scott Dapprich led the offense with a double and two singles, while Travis Gray and Sean Barrett each added two singles. BOXSCORE
March 22, vs. Franklin Pierce (NH) College
The Cougars picked up another win with a 6-1 victory over Franklin Pierce at Cape Coral. Mike Waddell (1-0) earned his first collegiate win by allowing just one run, two hits, and six walks in six innings of work. He also recorded nine strikeouts. Andy Newcomb pitched the final inning and allowed a hit and picked up two strikeouts. Meanwhile, MVNC took a 6-0 lead before the Ravens scored their lone run in the fourth inning. Scott Dapprich led the offense with three singles and a walk in four trips to the plate. BOXSCORE
March 22, vs. Edinboro (PA) University
MVNC increased their winning streak to eight straight with a 9-0 victory over the Scots at Cape Coral. Andy Heimbach (1-0) notched his first collegiate win and shutout as he allowed only three hits and five walks in seven innings of work. He also recorded four strikeouts. Meanwhile, Brian Sheets went 4-for-4 at the plate with a homerun, three singles,and four runs batted in. Chris Iceman and Sean Barrett each added a double and a single. The Cougars scored a run in the first inning, two runs in the second, a run in the third, and two more runs in the fourth. Then, they added three more runs in the sixth. BOXSCORE
March 21, vs. University of Northern Colorado
After having the first game of the scheduled doubleheader against Northern Colorado rained out, the Cougars claimed a 5-3 victory over the Bears at Fort Myers. Travis Gray got things going for MVNC in the top of the first inning with a two-run homer, giving him a school-record 29 for his career. Northern Colorado answered with a run in the bottom of the first and two more runs in the third to take a 3-2 lead. However, Sean Barrett tied things up with an RBI-double in the fourth. Then, in the fifth inning, Gray launched another two-run shot over the left centerfield fence for a 5-3 lead that would hold up. Dave Byard (1-0) picked up his first collegiate win as he allowed seven hits and two walks. He also recorded five strikeouts. BOXSCORE
March 20, vs. State University of New York at Fredonia
MVNC made it two shutouts in a row as the Cougars knocked off Fredonia 14-0 in Fort Myers behind a 14-hit attack and an outstanding pitching performance from Kevin Stafford (1-0). Stafford limited the Blue Devils to just four hits and a walk in five innings of work. He also recorded four strikeouts. Offensively, MVNC was led by Bob Hartless with two doubles, a single, and four runs scored. Mike Sorbin also added two singles to the winning attack. The Cougars took a 1-0 lead in the first inning, and then the flood gates opened as MVNC plated four runs in the second, five in the fourth, and four more in the fifth to end the game early. BOXSCORE
March 20, vs. Central Connecticut State University
The Cougars used a strong pitching performance from Jeremiah Armstrong (1-0) and some heavy hitting on their way to a 10-0 win over the NCAA Division I Blue Devils at Fort Myers. Armstrong pitched a complete game and allowed only three hits and four walks while striking out four batters. Meanwhile, MVNC got things going with two outs in the first inning when Travis Gray belted a homerun, tying the school's career record for homers with 28. Then, Brad Nelson reached on an error and Sean Barrett followed with a homerun of his own to make it 3-0. In the second inning, Brian Sheets led off with a homer over the centerfield fence and the rout was on. Barrett led the offense by going 3-for-4 with five runs batted in. BOXSCORE
March 19, vs. Edinboro (PA) University
Offense was the name of the game for MVNC as they posted a 13-1 victory over the Scots in Fort Myers. The Cougars scored at least one run in four of the first five innings, then exploded for six more in the seventh to put the game away. Travis Gray's three-run homer was the big hit in the final inning. Starter Marty McLeary (2-0) worked six shutout innings before turning the ball over to Andy Newcomb in the seventh. McLeary allowed just three hits and two walks while striking out six. Newcomb allowed the only run of the game in the seventh, but gave up just two hits and struck out two batters. Sean Barrett led the MVNC offense by going 4-for-4 with two doubles. Gray, Mike Sorbin, Bob Hartless, and Brad Nelson each added two hits apiece. Sorbin hit a two-run homer in the fourth and Nelson ripped two doubles. BOXSCORE
March 19, vs. Allegheny (PA) College
The Cougars successfully began their spring trip in Fort Myers, Florida, with a 7-3 victory over Allegheny. MVNC got things going early offensively as they scored two runs in the second inning on a two-run double by Brian Sheets. Then, they added four more runs in the third, highlighted by Chris Iceman's two-run double. Meanwhile, Mike Patch (2-0) went the distance on the mound, allowing just two earned runs and six hits in seven innings of work. He also recorded five strikeouts and walked only two batters. Iceman and Scott Dapprich led the offense with three hits apiece, while Brad Nelson and Sean Barrett each recorded two hits. BOXSCORE
March 13, at Otterbein College
MVNC used strong pitching and timely hitting to post an 8-0 non-conference victory. Starter Marty McLeary (1-0) pitched seven innings allowing only two hits and three walks while striking out six batters. Jeremiah Armstrong and Dave Byard each pitched a hitless inning of relief with Armstrong recording two strikeouts. Meanwhile, the Cougars' offense got things going early with three runs in the second inning on an RBI groundout by Mike Waddell, a run-scoring double by Scott Dapprich, and an RBI single by Mike Sorbin. MVNC added two runs in the fourth inning, a run in the seventh, and two more runs in the eighth. Chris Iceman and Chris Stanifer led the way with two hits apiece.
BOXSCORE
March 4, ASHLAND UNIVERSITY
The Cougars successfully opened the 1997 season with a come-from-behind 5-2 non-conference victory over Ashland. After trailing 2-0, MVNC got things going in the sixth inning. Bob Hartless drove in a run with a double, and following an intentional walk, Brad Nelson laced two-run double to left center. Travis Gray drilled a two-run homer in the eighth inning to give the Cougars some insurance runs. Starter Mike Patch (1-0) picked up the win by going six innings and allowing four hits and one earned run. He struck out five batters and did not issue a walk. Marty McLeary recorded the save with three hitless, scoreless innings of relief that included five strikeouts.
BOXSCORE