CLU Kingsmen Baseball News

Kingsmen Take Two in Season Debut

Sat, 28 Jan 2012 23:00:00 PST

THOUSAND OAKS, Calif. - Cal Lutheran opened its 2012 season at home on Saturday against San Diego Christian College. The Kingsmen earned an extra innings victory in game one and a seven inning win cut short due to darkness in game two.

Box Score (Game One): CLU 7, SDCC 6 - F/11
Box Score (Game Two): CLU 4, SDCC 1 - F/7

Heavy wind gusts through Saturday created unfavorable playing conditions for both sides. However the Kingsmen defense and hustle proved to be a major factor in a doubleheader sweep of the Hawks.

Cal Lutheran 7, San Diego Christian 6 - F/11
Byron Minnich earned the start on the mound for Cal Lutheran's season opener. It was his program record 62nd career appearance on the mound in a CLU uniform. He finished the day allowing four earned runs in 3.1 innings.

After surrendering four free passes courtesy of two walks and a pair of hit batsmen, Minnich gave way to Peter Ciaramitaro. He contained the damage allowing only one inherited runner to score after entering the contest with one out and the bases full.

On their ensuing team at bat the Kingsmen scored four times to tie the game. A one-out, first pitch, bases clearing double by John Leal sparked the rally. He would play a pivotal role on offense, defense and on the base paths.

"(John) Leal's effort was great today," said Head Coach Marty Slimak. "It was pure hustle...and his instincts were right on today...you can't teach that."

Leal scored the game-tying run from second base on a dropped third strike. After advancing to third on the original play he scurried home to beat out the throw. With neither team scoring over the next four innings, he came up big on the defensive end.

Backing up first base from his right field position on a ground ball to third base, he covered an errant throw and got the advancing runner out to start the top of the 11th. He later led off the bottom half of the frame with a leadoff four-pitch walk to represent the game-winning run.

After advancing to third with one out, teammate Iggy Wagner dribbled one a few feet down the third base line. The Hawks catcher picked up the ball and fired to first, Leal came charging home attempting to win the game.

A slight delay ensued before the home plate umpire called Leal safe to complete the Kingsmen comeback. The junior outfielder finished the day with scoring three runs and driving in three more in the victory.

CLU pitcher Chris Park tossed two shutout innings to close out the game and pick up the win. SDCC reliever Jeremy Blare held the Kingsmen scoreless over 4.2 innings allowing just two hits while striking out five batters.

Cal Lutheran 4, San Diego Christian 1 - F/7
Starting pitcher John LaMoure scattered seven hits over six innings to earn a victory in his first start this season. He got the crucial outs when needed stranding eight Hawks on base during his game two effort.

Garrett Smith's second inning RBI-single put the Kingsmen up 2-0, and a fifth inning two-run double by Kevin Leonard put the home side up 4-1. Seven different Kingsmen collected a base hit in the game.

Tyler Hebda closed out the seventh inning to pick up the save. After allowing the first two men on he struck out the following two and held the Hawks scoreless in the frame.

SDCC starter Dylan Jones was tagged with the loss after allowing four runs (one earned) in 4.1 innings of work. He walked five and struck out two in the defeat.

The game was called after one out in the seventh inning due to darkness. Game two got underway one hour later than its originally anticipated start time.

Cal Lutheran (2-0) will host Claremont-Mudd-Scripps on Friday, Feb. 10, in its conference opener.

CLU Baseball Set to Slide into Season

Fri, 27 Jan 2012 20:00:00 PST

THOUSAND OAKS, Calif. - The Kingsmen welcome back 20 players, adding 11 men to the roster, and will use their experience to continue a long tradition of 20 consecutive winning baseball seasons in Thousand Oaks. Leading that charge is a pair of preseason All-America selections.

CLU returns all but one starting pitcher in 2012 and six position players, which head coach Marty Slimak believes will benefit his squad this spring.

"We return another year older with more experience," he went on, "This is a veteran team with a number of proven leaders."

Among those key role players returning to the diamond are five All-SCIAC recipients from a year ago. The left side of the infield will again be manned by 2011 First Team selections Trevor Koons and Nick Boggan at shortstop and third base, respectively. Garnering Second Team honors a last season were centerfielder Iggy Wagner and a pair of pitchers in Byron Minnich and John LaMoure.

The duo of Boggan and Minnich were each named to the 2011 American Baseball Coaches Association (ABCA) & Rawlings Division III West Region First Team in 2011 before Boggan collected a Third Team All-America nod as well. Earlier this month both were tabbed as d3baseball.com preseason All-America selections.

CLU's top three offensive threats from 2011 are back in Boggan (.409), Wagner (.352) and Koons (.339).

The Kingsmen will again hope for a hot bat from Boggan, a junior who played in all 40 games a year ago, leading the team with 61 hits, including 10 homeruns, and 45 runs batted in while also scoring a team high 48 times. At the hot corner, Boggan tallied 29 putouts and 63 assists.

Wagner started all 38 games in which he appeared and collected 56 hits, scoring 37 times. He navigated centerfield where he was responsible for 98 putouts during his junior season.

Koons hit at a .339 clip with 39 hits, including nine doubles as a sophomore. At shortstop he was part of 23 double plays, finishing with 107 assists and 48 putouts.

Anchoring the Kingsmen rotation will be Minnich. The senior righty appeared in 18 games a year ago, posting a 1.80 ERA after earning a 3-0 record with 10 saves in 40.0 innings pitched. He struck out 46 batters and walked just six men as he held opposing hitters to a .192 batting average. When Minnich takes the hill for the first time this year he will set a new CLU record for appearances in a career. He is currently tied with Robbie Selden ('10) with 61.

A pair of seniors will round out the starting-three after solid junior campaigns. The number two man in 2012 will be Ciaramitaro who went 5-4 in 13 appearances, 11 starts, and tallied 70.1 innings of work last spring. He recorded 51 strike outs. Clowing out weekend series will be LaMoure who threw a team high 71.2 innings last season, striking out a team leading 59 batters. The southpaw earned a 7-4 record in 13 starts.

CLU welcomes a trio of transfers with Michael Vinyard, Nick DeLorenzo and Dominick Solley joining the group.

Vinyard is expected to play a key role as the CLU backstop after playing two seasons at Cal State, Los Angeles.

DeLorenzo is set to start at first base for the Kingsmen following a two year stint at Santa Rosa Junior College where he earned Second Team All-Conference accolades.

Look for Solley to roam left field. He comes to Cal Lutheran from Santa Ana Junior College where his team was ranked No. 1 in the nation during his time there.

Completing the starting nine for the 2012 season are junior right fielder John Leal and junior second baseman Garrett Smith. Leal started 27 games last year and played in 35. He connected for 28 hits, driving in 16 and scoring 19 times. Smith earned his way into the starting line-up 10 times and played in 26 games. Both players were solid in the field, combining for just four errors in 158 touches.

Probable players to fill the designated hitter role will be Kevin Leonard or Tyler Kem who played in 11 games apiece last year. Leonard will also see some time in the outfield while Kem will get some opportunities in the infield.

The bullpen will be a mix of vets and rookies, powered by the senior trio of Spencer Trygg, Chris Park and Jordan Cox and sophomore duo of Tyler Hedba and Aaron Roth. Trygg, Park and Roth each struck out 19 men. Trygg posted a 3-1 record last spring in 27.2 innings. Park tossed 24.0 innings, taking the hill 17 times. Cox made 12 appearances, collecting 22.0 innings of work. Hedba took the ball seven times for 11.2 innings and Roth earned a 2.25 ERA in eight appearances that included four starts. All five players will play key roles in the success of the 2012 team. Rounding out the pen are junior Brian Kernochan and the left handed arms of freshmen Matthew Burden, Peter James and Scott Peters.

Completing the freshman class of seven are Logan Gangsei and Michael Alvarez, who will each vie for playing time in the outfield, while both C.J. Picerni and Spencer DuBois will work behind the plate as they get accustomed to collegiate baseball.

Finishing out the roster are infielders Craig Jacobson, Wyatt Byers and Nicho DellaValle, outfielder Elon Goldman and catcher Kevin Eto.

Also noteworthy as the season approaches is that Slimak is just nine wins shy of 500 in his career.

Cal Lutheran's campaign begins on Saturday, Jan. 28 when they host San Diego Christian on George "Sparky" Anderson Field at Ullman Stadium for the first of 22 home contests on their 40-game schedule. First pitch is scheduled for 11:00 a.m.

Boggan, Minnich Tabbed Pre-Season All-Americans

Wed, 18 Jan 2012 12:00:00 PST

MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. - With spring semester underway and baseball opening day around the corner, the Cal Lutheran Kingsmen will take the diamond with a pair of D3baseball.com Preseason All-Americans in Nick Boggan and Byron Minnich as announced Tuesday.

Official Release: D3baseball.com

Overall, 54 players comprise the three teams selected from 379 teams that sponsor baseball at the NCAA Division III level. Boggan and Minnich were two of the four SCIAC players named to Preseason All-America teams.

Boggan, has been named to the Second Team Preseason All-America. The junior will man third base after earning American Baseball Coaches Association/Rawlings Division III
All-America Third Team and All-SCIAC First Team accolades in 2011. As a sophomore he played all 40 games and led all CLU players offensively with a .409 batting average, .698 slugging percentage and .492 on-base percentage. He connected for 61 hits, including 10 homeruns, and walked 24 times as he collected 104 total bases. Boggan scored 48 times and drove in 45 runs. He added 11 doubles, a triple and 14 stolen bases. The Pacific Grove, Calif. native had 17 multi-hit games and drove in multiple runs 13 times. Between Feb. 12 and March 4, 2011, Boggan produced a nine-game hit streak.

Entering his final season of collegiate baseball, Minnich will take the hill as a Third Team Preseason All-America. In 2011 the righty was an All-SCIAC Second Team selection as he led the Kingsmen with a 1.80 ERA in 24 appearances. The Thousand Oaks, Calif. native tossed 40.0 innings, earning a 3-0 record while converting nine saves for CLU. Minnich held opposing hitters to a .192 batting average as he struck out 46. Both his ERA and batting average against led all SCIAC players.

Cal Lutheran begins its 2012 campaign on Saturday, Jan. 28 when they host San Diego Christian University for a double-header beginning at 11 a.m. at George "Sparky" Anderson Field at Ullman Stadium.

CLU to Honor Memory of Sparky Anderson

Mon, 28 Nov 2011 22:00:00 PST

THOUSAND OAKS, Calif. - Alan Trammell never gets tired talking about George "Sparky" Anderson. Trammell's former manager had such a profound impact on him that it brings him great joy to recall the memories.

"I couldn't be more thankful that we crossed paths in our lifetime," said Trammell, who played for Anderson with the Detroit Tigers from 1979 to 1995. "He made me a better person, a better husband and a better father because of the things he taught me. It was not just about baseball. Obviously, he wanted us to be good baseball players, but he wanted the full package."

Trammell will be sharing some of his stories about Anderson on Tuesday night at Cal Lutheran.

CLU is hosting an event to memorialize the Hall of Fame manager, with proceeds benefiting Anderson's charities of choice - CATCH and the CLU baseball program.

CATCH, founded in Detroit by Anderson in 1987, raises funds for pediatric patients who receive care from the Children's Hospital of Michigan and Henry Ford Hospital.

Anderson died last year at his home in Thousand Oaks. He was 76.

The event begins at 6:30 p.m. with a reception and concludes with a question-and-answer period from 8:00-8:45.

Trammell is part of a panel that includes Los Angeles Angels manager Mike Scioscia, a Thousand Oaks resident, and former Star columnist David Lassen.

Event organizers were hoping to have former Cincinnati Reds stars Joe Morgan and Johnny Bench attend, but both had to decline because of prior commitments.

Anderson lived near Cal Lutheran's campus and developed a strong relationship with the university despite having never attended. CLU's baseball field is named in Anderson's honor.

"There are a number of us, me included, who felt there really wasn't an opportunity to say goodbye or remember George in the community after he passed way," CLU President Chris Kimball said. "He has been such a big part of the university, and we were anxious to find some way to remember him. He meant a lot to a lot of people here. It just took a while to get everything approved from the family and others to do an event."

Although Anderson was famous in baseball circles for guiding the Reds and Tigers to World Series titles, he enjoyed a more humble life in Thousand Oaks.

He would take his regular early-morning walk around CLU's campus and casually chat with neighbors and friends.

"Sparky is the stage name on the baseball field, but up there he was just George," Trammell said. "People thought Sparky loved all the limelight and being in front of cameras, and he was awesome with that, but he was a different person away from it. He was basically very shy."

Kimball lived only a few doors down from Anderson when Kimball first moved to Thousand Oaks.

"It was amazing how much he knew about the university. He knew more than I did, and not just about athletics or baseball," Kimball said. "He was really well informed about everything and totally supportive of what CLU was trying to do and the people here. It was just great to talk with him, and I think everyone had those kinds of experiences with him."

Trammell was 21 years old when Anderson was hired to manage the Tigers.

"It was the perfect time in my life to meet Sparky. To me, he was an extension of my parents," said Trammell, the Most Valuable Player of the 1984 World Series. "He taught us to be men. We were gifted young players who had the talent, but needed to be molded and he did that. It was tough love early on like your parents would give, but once we matured, he loosened the reins a little bit. We really needed that."

Trammell is now the bench coach for the Arizona Diamondbacks, which are managed by his former teammate, Kirk Gibson.

The two Anderson protégés want to have a similar influence on their players as Anderson had with them.

"We are all different people and all have our own little ideas, but it basically comes back to how we were taught from Sparky," Trammell said. "I am proud he was my mentor and I want to be passing the torch."

For more information about the event or to obtain tickets, contact CLU at 493-3100.

Sparky Anderson/CLU Baseball Golf Event Information

Thu, 20 Oct 2011 16:00:00 PST

THOUSAND OAKS, Calif. - The 32nd annual "Sparky" Anderson/CLU Baseball Golf Tournament will take place on Tuesday, Nov. 1, at Moorpark Country Club.

Celebrity participants will be on hand prior to an 11 a.m. round of golf and during a social hour starting at 4 p.m. In the past, numerous celebrities have supported this event, such as Mike Scioscia, Vin Scully and Matt Franco.

Tournament fees for individual players are $225. The price includes lunch, dinner, range balls and prizes. Team rounds of golf are available at several price levels, including signage at the event for company sponsors. Proceeds benefit the CLU baseball program.

Guests who are not golfing are invited to come for the silent auction and dinner, featuring former Los Angeles Dodger Tommy Lasorda as keynote speaker. The admission fee for the auction and dinner is $50.

Registration begins at 9 a.m., and a shotgun start for the event is set for at 11 a.m. The social hour and silent auction take place from 4 p.m. to 5 p.m. followed by the dinner and awards ceremony.

Moorpark Country Club is located at 11800 Championship Drive. For registration or information, go to http://www.clusports.com/baseball or call Marty Slimak at (805) 493-3398.

Dodgers Promote Iden to Single-A Affiliate

Tue, 05 Jul 2011 19:00:00 PST

MIDLAND, Mich. - Former Cal Lutheran infielder David Iden has been promoted to the Los Angeles Dodgers' full-season, Single-A affiliate and is now a member of the Great Lakes Loons.

Originally selected by the Dodgers in the 2009 First-Year Player Draft, Iden competed for the Ogden Raptors and the AZL Dodgers, two Rookie-level organizations competing in the Pioneer and Arizona Leagues respectively, before receiving word about his recent promotion to the Midwest League last week.

During his 2011 stint in Ogden, Iden led the Raptors with his .476 batting average and scored six runs throughout his five games played.

Quickly seeing action in two games since joining the Loons' roster, Iden has already recorded two hits in his three collective at-bats, one of which was a double, and scored twice to help his new team end the holiday weekend with consecutive road victories against the Bowling Green Hot Rods.

A four-year member of the Kingsmen baseball program, Iden still ranks No. 1 all-time with his 559 career at-bats, remains tied for second alongside Jason Claros with his 192 base hits, and possesses all-time top-10 numbers in games played (149), doubles (44), RBI (100), runs scored (121), total bases (261) and stolen bases (63).

Nick Boggan Named to CCL All-Star Roster

Tue, 05 Jul 2011 18:00:00 PST

SANTA BARBARA, Calif. - Cal Lutheran third baseman Nick Boggan has been selected to compete in the California Collegiate League (CCL) 2011 All-Star Game. A current member of the Conejo Oaks summer baseball team, Boggan will compete for the CCL Americans in the third-annual affair taking place on July 13 at Casey Stengel Field in Glendale, Calif.

Official Release: 2011 California Collegiate League All-Star Game

An exhibition contest involving the top 54 prospects in the league, the 2011 All-Star Game will be televised nationally by Fox Sports. In addition to a live broadcast available locally at 6 p.m. on Fox Sports West, repeat broadcasts are also scheduled to take place on both Fox Sports West and Prime Ticket throughout July and August.

Ranked second on the Oaks roster (games played through July 4th) with his .318 batting average, Boggan also ranks third on the team with 27 hits, 18 runs scored, and seven doubles.

Competing alongside a number of his Cal Lutheran teammates, the 2011 All-American is one of seven Oaks who were invited to compete in this year's showcase.

Comprised of seven amateur teams located throughout Southern California and Las Vegas, the California Collegiate league is a non-profit, wood-bat organization that organizes a 36-game championship season. Commencing on July 1, the 2011 CCL schedule will conclude on August 15.

Philadelphia Phillies Draft Durham

Wed, 08 Jun 2011 14:00:00 PST

THOUSAND OAKS, Calif. - Cal Lutheran senior pitcher Ian Durham was selected by the Philadelphia Phillies Tuesday in the 28th round of the MLB First-Year Player Draft. With the selection, Durham becomes the 18th member of the Kingsmen baseball program drafted since Major League Baseball instituted its amateur draft in 1965.

Results: 2011 MLB First-Year Player Draft

Durham is the first Kingsmen drafted since 2009 when the Los Angeles Dodgers selected second baseman David Iden in the 35th round.

"This is the right time for Ian to take the next step to compete in professional baseball," stated Cal Lutheran baseball head coach Marty Slimak, "his best days are yet to come."

During his senior season at Cal Lutheran, the right-hander was named a starter in nine of his 13 games played, going 4-4 with a 4.22 ERA. In his 59.2 innings pitched throughout the 2011 season, Durham struck out 58 batters, the second-highest total on the team and fourth-highest mark in the Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SCIAC).

A member of the 2010 All-SCIAC Second Team, Durham ends his four-year career at Cal Lutheran with an 8-8 record, 4.70 ERA, seven saves, and averaged nearly one strikeout per inning as he retired 132 batters throughout his 132.2 innings pitched.

Serving as Cal Lutheran's primary reliever throughout most of his collegiate career, Durham solidified his spot in the 2011 starting rotation after finishing the previous season with a conference-high six saves and an impressive performance throughout all five of his starts in 2010.

Named a starter by Slimak in 15 games, Durham now occupies 10th place all-time in the program's record books alongside Justin Keeling with his 44 career appearances.

Four SCIAC senior pitchers were drafted throughout the three-day event, a list of right-handers that includes Brooks Belter from Occidental College (Tampa Bay, Round 25), David Colvin from Pomona-Pitzer (Seattle, Round 27), and Alexander Sunderland from Claremont-Mudd-Scripps (Seattle, Round 38).

Nick Boggan Earns All-American Status

Wed, 01 Jun 2011 11:30:00 PST

APPLETON, Wis. - Cal Lutheran sophomore third baseman Nick Boggan was named to the American Baseball Coaches Association (ABCA)/Rawlings Division III All-American Third Team as announced during the NCAA Division III Baseball Championships banquet.

Official Release: 2011 ABCA/Rawlings Division III Teams

The first Cal Lutheran baseball player since Christian Hariot (2005) to receive All-American accolades, Boggan is now the 17th player in the program's history to receive this distinguished honor.

One of just three sophomores recognized by the ABCA, the Kingsmen third baseman joins Chapman pitcher Brian Rauh and Illinois Wesleyan first baseman Kevin Callahan as the only underclassmen who earned a coveted position on one of the three teams.

The lone CLU player to earn a start in all 40 games played during the 2011 season, Boggan finished with team-high marks in nine offensive categories, and was one of only three batters in the SCIAC who ended the season batting .400 or above.

Falling just one category shy of capturing the Triple Crown, Boggan led the conference with his 10 home runs and 45 RBI, finishing the season ranked second in the SCIAC with his .409 batting average.

Two SCIAC players were named to one of the three All-American teams; in addition to Boggan, Redlands senior pitcher Derek Johnson was one of five pitchers named to the Second Team.

Senior utility player Jim Schult from Eastern Connecticut, and junior pitcher Brian Gasser from Marietta were named Co-Players of the Year.

Anderson Part of Inaugural HOF Class

Tue, 31 May 2011 12:00:00 PST

LOS ANGELES, Calif. - The late George "Sparky" Anderson will be one of several key figures in the world of sports to be inducted into the Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) Inaugural Sports Hall of Fame on June 5.

Event Information: LAUSD Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony

Anderson, a graduate of Dorsey High School, managed two different teams to Major League Baseball World Series Championships during his time as a coach in the big leagues. He will be one of 55 individuals inducted during Sunday's ceremony.

The Kingsmen baseball team began playing its home games on George "Sparky" Anderson Field during the 2006 season and continues to this day. However Anderson is remembered for much more than his name alone.

Minnich, Boggan Earn All-Region Honors

Wed, 25 May 2011 14:00:00 PST

MOUNT PLEASANT, Mich. - Pitcher Byron Minnich and third baseman Nick Boggan of the Cal Lutheran baseball team were each named to the 2011 American Baseball Coaches Association (ABCA) & Rawlings Division III West Region First Team.

Byron Minnich
The Kingsmen closer set the single season program record with 10 saves this past season. He appeared in 24 games and struck out 46 batters in 40 innings of work. Minnich is the only reliever of the five hurlers to be named to the list which features fellow SCIAC member Derek Johnson of Redlands.

Nick Boggan
Leading the triple crown race for the SCIAC throughout most of the season, Boggan finished the year hitting .409 finishing second best in the conference. The sophomore slugger led the conference belting 10 home runs and contributing 45 RBI.

Cal Lutheran and Redlands each supplied a pair of the five SCIAC recipients including shortstop Chase Tucker of the Bulldogs. Junior Andrew Vallejo of Whittier earned the fifth spot taking one of three outfield positions.

Kyle Felix, a senior catcher from Trinity (TX) was named the West Region Player of the Year after hitting .365 with 14 home runs and 61 runs batted in.

Brian Rauh, a sophomore pitcher from Chapman was named West Region Pitcher of the Year posting an 11-0 record with seven complete games and a 1.71 earned run average. He has earned the honor in each of his first two collegiate seasons with the Panthers.

Cal Lutheran finished the season 25-15, 19-9 SCIAC and third place in the final regular season conference standings. Five members from this year's squad were named to the All-Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference teams.

CLU Hands Out End of Year Awards

Mon, 09 May 2011 18:00:00 PST

THOUSAND OAKS, Calif. - On Monday inside Gilbert Arena student-athletes representing each of Cal Lutheran's 19 programs were recognized for their achievements throughout the 2010-11 season at the annual end of the year gathering put together by members of both the CLU athletics department and Student-Athlete Advisory Committee.

The Cal Lutheran Senior Athletes of the Year were officially announced during the event with Allison Kerr of volleyball earning the honor for the women. Eric Flores and Andrew Giuffrida will share the honor for the men.

Seventy-two Cal Lutheran student-athletes are scheduled to graduate this month including the CLU Scholar-Athletes of the Year in Bobby Sanders of women's water polo and Ray Ostrander of men's cross country and track and field.

All student-athletes from this past season received a token of appreciation for their respective contributions this year with first year CLU members getting a CLU athletics department shirt, second year a sweatshirt, third year a letterman and fourth year a plaque.

Cal Lutheran Athletes Making the Grade

Mon, 09 May 2011 15:45:00 PST

It started in a little room in the humanities building. It eventually moved to the Lundring Events Center, where everyone assumed it would remain for many years. But the numbers just kept increasing, so this year's Cal Lutheran Scholar-Athlete Society induction banquet had to be held in the Gilbert Sports and Fitness Center.

A record-high 112 athletes were honored last Saturday for having a cumulative GPA of at least 3.4. The standard far exceeds the 2.0 needed to be eligible to compete in athletics.

"To me that is the whole Division III philosophy of being a student and a top athlete," CLU Athletic Director Dan Kuntz said. "Our mission is to help them do well in school and do well in their sport and give them an opportunity to carry those on to other things."

The Scholar-Athlete Society started in 2003 with only 36 athletes. Although the amount of teams at CLU has remained the same, the number of athletes honored has jumped exponentially.

This year's total represents nearly 30 percent of the athletes at CLU.

"They are competitive people, and if you let them know what the expectation is, they are going to go for it," Kuntz said. "Once it happens once and someone see it, they realize the opportunity is there for them and it becomes a road map for others to follow."

CLU distance runner Roy Ostrander and women's water polo player Bobby Sanders, who were recently named Cal Lutheran Senior Scholar-Athletes of the Year, have been members of the society all four years at CLU.

In front of a large gathering of relatives, coaches and administrators, each of the 116 honorees received certificates and other small tokens of reward.

"If they have the passion and commitment to their sport, it is a large chunk of their time they have to dedicate to play," Kuntz said. "It's asking a lot because they are not getting scholarship money or a private tutor or special trainer or registration just for them. They are doing this on their own because they want to."

Kuntz believes the environment at CLU is conducive for athletes to balance sports and academics successfully.

"The students have people around them and resources available if they need support, and I think a person tends to thrive more if they feel like they can do more," Kuntz said. "I think those things have really evolved at CLU the last several years and there has been a lot of work to ensure the infrastructure is in place."

Michelin Earns CoSIDA Academic Honor

Fri, 06 May 2011 10:00:00 PST

THOUSAND OAKS, Calif. - Richard Michelin, a senior on the Cal Lutheran baseball team was voted to the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA) Academic All-District VIII Second Team, released on Friday.

The four-year Kingsmen made 21 starts at catcher this season and was one of only two players at that position to earn a spot. Cole Bixenman from Linfield was voted to the first team after hitting .383 and leading the Wildcats with nine home runs and 40 runs batted in during the regular season.

Michelin is a four-year member of the Cal Lutheran Scholar-Athlete Society which features an elite group of student-athletes that maintain a grade point average of 3.40 or higher. He was one of 98 members of the SAS last year and is on track to earn his degree in Sports Medicine.

Michelin wrapped up his final campaign hitting .288 and ranked second on the team with 27 runs batted in and 14 walks. During his 126 games in a Kingsmen uniform he hit .300 with six homers and 82 RBI.

Of the 11 NCAA Division III District VIII student-athletes selected, three came from the SCIAC including Cameron Lowe and Brandon Owashi from Redlands.

Baseball Lands Five on All-SCIAC Team

Thu, 05 May 2011 10:00:00 PST

LOS ANGELES, Calif. - Five members from Cal Lutheran baseball were selected to the all-Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SCIAC) teams, announced earlier today. Sophomores Nick Boggan and Trevor Koons highlight the Kingsmen crew as both earned first team honors.

Official Release: 2011 All-SCIAC Baseball Team

Nick Boggan - First Team
The sophomore slugger nearly pulled off the SCIAC triple crown ranking second in batting average (.409) while leading the league with 10 home runs and 45 runs batted in. He ranked in the top five of 10 recognized offensive categories to earn his first all-SCIAC selection.

Trevor Koons - First Team
Koons matched Boggan's .390 batting average in conference play during his 25 games of action. He led the Kingsmen with four doubles and a .659 slugging percentage in SCIAC action to earn his first conference selection.

Byron Minnich - Second Team
The red shirt junior led the conference in earned run average (1.80), opposing batting average (.192), saves (10) and appearances (24) this season. He went 3-0 with seven saves in conference plays striking out 35 batters in 32 innings of work to earn second team honors.

John LaMoure - Second Team
A fellow junior pitcher LaMoure led all starting pitchers with his 2.13 earned run average in 13 games this season. He went 7-4 and struck out 59 batters in 71.2 innings while holding the opposition to a combined .219 average at the plate.

Iggy Wagner - Second Team
The CLU newcomer covered a great deal of ground in center field and stole 21 bases to rank second among conference players. Wagner hit .368 and stole 13 bags in 27 conference games to notch all-league honors in his first season with the Kingsmen.

Derek Johnson, a senior pitcher from Redlands was named SCIAC Player of the Year. The Bulldogs won the regular season conference title by two games finishing 28-9, 22-6 SCIAC.

Cal Lutheran went 25-15, 19-9 SCIAC to take third place in the conference standings. It marked the fifth straight season in which the Kingsmen finished third or better in the SCIAC.

Kingsmen Outdueled in Battle for Second

Sat, 30 Apr 2011 20:00:00 PST

THOUSAND OAKS, Calif. - In a hotly contested battle of second place teams in the SCIAC, Cal Lutheran came up just short against La Verne falling 1-0 at "Sparky" Anderson Field in what is likely the final game of the 2011 season and in the career of six graduating seniors.

Box Score: ULV 1, CLU 0 - F

Windy conditions, stellar pitching and solid defense throughout made it difficult for both the Kingsmen and Leopards to put runs on the scoreboard. CLU was held scoreless for just the second time this season, both of which came at the hands of ULV.

Cal Lutheran pitcher John LaMoure got off to a hot start by retiring the Leopards lineup in order through the first three innings. He issued three walks including a leadoff base on balls that would eventually decide Saturday's outcome.

La Verne's Jason Muñoz was the only player to record multiple hits and after Jacob Ludvik advanced into scoring position he supplied the game-winning RBI-double in the sixth inning.

LaMoure was able to prevent any further damage in the frame and in total threw 6.1 innings, striking out a pair of Leopard batters while allowing only the solitary run. The lefty surrendered only two hits, both to lefty Jason Muñoz, while not allowing any to right-handed batters (0-for-13).

It was smooth sailing for counterpart Mark Larini until a two-out third inning triple ripped to right-center field by Trevor Koons provided the first hit of the game by either squad. On the ensuing at bat speedster Iggy Wagner was unable to beat out a ground ball to the shortstop ending the inning.

Larini was able to strand Kingsmen on the base paths and get out of several jams by holding the Kingsmen to hit just 1-for-13 with runners on base and 0-for-7 with runners in scoring position. CLU left two runners on base in the fourth, two more in scoring position in the fifth and the bases loaded in the eighth.

Wagner and John Leal both laid down one-out bunt singles in the eighth inning, and K.C. Judge worked a full count walk with two outs to load the bases. La Verne's Matt Baudino made only his second relief appearance this season and struck out senior Richard Michelin to preserve the lead.

La Verne had high hopes of widening its lead following a ninth inning leadoff double by Cody Hazel. Pinch runner Matt Ashby advanced to third on one wild pitch and nearly scored on another.

A breaking pitch well outside scooted away towards the first base side when catcher Colin Gray recovered tossing a run-saving flip to a diving Byron Minnich who unknowingly tagged out Ashby at the dish.

Minnich came on in relief and tossed 2.2 scoreless innings, striking out three batters. Today's appearance was the 61st of his career tying him for the Cal Lutheran program record with former teammate Robbie Selden (2007-10).

Unfortunately for the Kingsmen faithful it did not matter as Baudino sat down the side in order in the ninth to end the game. He was responsible for the previous shutout of Cal Lutheran earlier this year (March 26) tossing a complete game, five-hitter while striking out 10 batters.

This contest marks the final home game for six Kingsmen seniors: Judge, Michelin, Travis Dadigian, Ian Durham, Danny Gallinot and Colin Gray. Four of the six played in today's game with Durham having earned the win in Friday's game against Pomona-Pitzer and Gallinot out due to injury suffered against Redlands on April 16.

Cal Lutheran finishes the season 25-15, 19-9 SCIAC and third place in the final conference standings. The Kingsmen will wait to see if they receive an at-large berth into the NCAA tournament which will be announced on Monday, May 16.

Durham, Judge Clutch in Win Over Sagehens

Fri, 29 Apr 2011 20:00:00 PST

CLAREMONT, Calif. - A lengthy shutout relief appearance by Ian Durham and extra inning go-ahead base hit from K.C. Judge set the scene for Cal Lutheran to finish off No. 23 Pomona-Pitzer. With the game-winning run in scoring position closer Byron Minnich got the final out in a 4-3 extra inning victory.

Box Score: CLU 4, PP 3 - F/10

Tied 3-3 through three innings neither team was able to score over the ensuing six frames forcing a 10th inning.

Cal Lutheran broke the scoring drought after Iggy Wagner led off the inning by reaching second base after a single and sacrifice bunt. Following an intentional walk to Nick Boggan who had both of the team's two RBI to that point Judge stepped in and delivered the eventual game-winning hit.

Pomona-Pitzer starting pitcher David Colvin was denied the win despite tossing eight innings allowing three runs (one earned) with six strikeouts. A pair of early defensive miscues, including one of his own on the opening play of the game allowed for the Kingsmen to score and tie up the game in the first and third innings.

His counterpart Peter Ciaramitaro toed the slab to start and surrendered nine hits and three walks in five innings of work. He limited the damage keeping the game tied when Durham came out of the bullpen for only the fourth time this season.

He had thrown four shutout innings and returned to the mound at Alumni Field needing three outs for the win.

After issuing a second walk in the frame that allowed the game-winning run to reach base, Minnich was called upon to record the final out. After a wild pitch allowed both runners to advance into scoring position he forced Mike Moyer to fly out to end the game and earn his league leading 10th save of the season.

Redlands used a three-run eighth inning rally to overcome a two-run deficit in defeating Whittier 3-2 and clinching the outright conference title and a spot in the NCAA playoffs.

Cal Lutheran (25-14, 19-8 SCIAC) will host La Verne (24-14, 19-8 SCIAC) on Saturday, April 30, at 1 p.m. and the six graduating Kingsmen will be honored on "Senior Day." The winner will earn second place outright in the final conference standings

SCIAC Season Series Sweep: Part III

Sat, 23 Apr 2011 22:00:00 PST

WHITTIER, Calif. - Cal Lutheran scored in five different innings steadily increasing its cushion throughout an 8-3 road win over Whittier. Saturday's victory marked the third straight game the Kingsmen have completed a four-game season sweep of a SCIAC opponent following wins over Occidental, Caltech and now the Poets.

Box Score: CLU 8, WC 3 - F

A two-out second inning rally sparked by a Kevin Eto double provided the first run of the game. Whittier pitchers allowed two runs to cross with personal miscues including a balk that sent Eto home and a fifth inning wild pitch.

Tied 1-1 through two innings Brandyn Delgado homered with a man on to put the Kingsmen up 3-1 and provide a lead they would not relinquish the rest of the way.

A major factor to the offensive production was the Cal Lutheran 3-4-5 hitters consisting of Nick Boggan, K.C. Judge and Richard Michelin whom combined to go 7-for-11 with four RBI and score four times.

All three regular starting pitchers took the mound with John LaMoure picking up his seventh win and closer Byron Minnich his ninth save this season.

LaMoure went six-plus innings allowing two runs while striking out three for the victory. Outside of a 3-for-5 game from reigning SCIAC Athlete of the Week Andrew Vallejo and a 2-for-2 day from Darby Weppner featuring a game-tying solo blast the Poets offense was controlled.

The rest of the lineup combined to hit 3-for-25 (.120) with an RBI and failed to score a run.

With a four-run lead, two runners on and two outs Minnich stranded the Poets on base and preserved the sizeable cushion. He left two on base of his own in ninth recording a strikeout to end the game.

This season he is holding the opposition to a .191 batting average and has 43 strikeouts in 37 innings of work.

CLU (24-14, 18-8 SCIAC) remains in a tie for second place in the conference standings with La Verne (23-14, 18-8 SCIAC) which defeated Occidental 5-4 on a walk-off single by Jacob Ludvik.

Cal Lutheran will play its final regular season road contest of the season on Friday, Apr. 29 at 3 p.m. against Pomona-Pitzer.

Shutout Helps CLU Sweep Season Series

Fri, 22 Apr 2011 22:00:00 PST

THOUSAND OAKS, Calif. - A 14-run third inning provided more than enough run support for Cal Lutheran as Kingsmen pitchers Aaron Roth and Tyler Hebda allowed only two hits combined in Friday's 24-0, seven-inning victory over Caltech.

Box Score: CLU 24, CIT 0 - F/7

Earning his second win in as many games, Roth struck out seven Beavers in his four innings on the mound before handing the ball to Hebda prior to the start of the fifth.

Recording nine consecutive outs to earn his first save of the season, the duo of Hebda and Roth not only held the Beavers to only two hits (both singles) but also helped Cal Lutheran complete its season sweep over Caltech in the first of two back-to-back SCIAC games scheduled for this weekend.

A total of 21 Kingsmen saw action against the Beavers at George "Sparky" Anderson Field at Ullman Stadium; finishing 3-for-3 with five RBI, Nick Boggan led the way for Cal Lutheran in a game that saw 10 different players record at least one RBI off Caltech arms.

Boggan also recorded his conference-leading 10th home run of the season, a shot that easily cleared the fence in straightaway center to score two of the Kingsmen's 14 runs in an action-packed third inning.

Finishing with two hits in his three at-bats, Colin Gray tied a career high by driving in four runs before being replaced prior to his fourth at-bat which would have taken place in the bottom of the fourth inning.

In addition to Gray, John Leal also turned in one of his most successful games in a Kingsmen uniform. Finishing 2-for-3, with two runs, the right fielder also set a new career high in the process with his three RBI.

Scoring five runs throughout the first two innings severely hampered Caltech's chances of leaving Thousand Oaks with a victory; after the events of the third inning took place, Cal Lutheran all but officially completed the sweep of the four games played this season against Caltech.

Four of the 10 hits accumulated in the Kingsmen third were for extra bases; in addition to Boggan's home run, Richard Michelin hit a double to left-centerfield before back-to back triples flew off the bats of Trevor Koons and Iggy Wagner.

A total of 20 Kingsmen batters took their swings against Caltech pitchers in that fateful inning, scoring 14 of the team's 24 runs before the final out of the frame was recorded.

In addition to the Kingsmen third-inning quartet of batters, Nicholas DellaValle and Matt Emerson were responsible for the other CLU extra-base hits earned against the Beavers as the former hit a triple in the second inning, with the latter blasting a double to left-center to record his inaugural hit in a Cal Lutheran uniform.

Scoring the decisive run in the top of the ninth inning in their last game played at Whittier, the Kingsmen can earn their second SCIAC season sweep in as many days with another victory in Saturday's road game against the Poets.

Cal Lutheran baseball fans who are unable to make the trip can still follow the events of Saturday's game online as Whittier will provide live stats for the final Kingsmen-Poets baseball game of the season. Click here to follow the action at Memorial Field as it happens, first pitch is scheduled for 1 p.m.

LaMoure Repaying CLU from the Mound

Mon, 18 Apr 2011 18:00:00 PST

John LaMoure could have taken the direct route and attended Cal Lutheran University straight out of high school. But LaMoure harbored big league dreams and decided to explore his junior college baseball options for a quicker path to the draft.

He started at Antelope Valley College before transferring to Orange Coast College, but it didn't work out with either program.

Frustrated about his situation, LaMoure called CLU coach Marty Slimak and asked if there was still a roster spot available.

Slimak said there was, and LaMoure has been trying to repay the gesture ever since.

The 6-foot-4 junior left-hander is 6-3 with a 2.12 ERA and 54 strikeouts for the Kingsmen. In his latest start last Friday, LaMoure gave up one earned run in seven innings of a 12-4 victory over Claremont-Mudd-Scripps.

"I am grateful for Cal Lu giving me a chance to pitch, and I want to use it to the best of my abilities," LaMoure said. "I really want to do well for them because of how much they have given me."

LaMoure pitched mostly out of the bullpen last year for the Kingsmen, but was intent on breaking into the regular starting rotation this year.

"My problem is I have always had a lot of walks, but I always knew if I pounded the strike zone I would be able to get outs," he said. "I knew the only way I would get one of the two open starting spots was if I was throwing strikes and not walking people. So that has been my main focus and it has kind of got me where I am now."

LaMoure was a late bloomer in baseball and didn't play much at Highland High in Palmdale until he underwent a growth spurt.

"The coaches didn't really give me a chance until my senior year, but that helped me mentally," he said. "I realized that if I worked as hard as I could, I would be able to achieve anything. If I had things handed to me, I doubt I would work as hard as I did."

LaMoure also derived motivation by trying to outperform his older sister Jen, who played soccer at CLU.

"She has always been really athletic, and I always really wanted to be better than her at my sport," he said. "I have always kind of lived in her shadow, so it's funny we went to the same school."

LaMoure still dreams about making it to the major leagues, but has a backup plan to become an orthodontist if things don't work out.

He has no regrets about the winding road he took to CLU.

"I think it was a blessing in disguise because it made me a better pitcher," he said. "All the experiences I've had really helped me get where I am now, and right now I am at a happy place in my life."