Pitchers take home awards

by Michael Canan
THE POST

Ohio pitcher Tony Schiml was at the top of the list of Ohio baseball players who were honored last week by the Mid-American Conference.

Schiml was unanimously named MAC Pitcher of the Year on May 17. Schiml is the first Ohio pitcher to win the award.

He was also named First Team All-MAC and All-Tournament. Schiml finished the season with an 8-2 record and a 4.38 earned run average. He was 7-0 in conference play with a 2.47 ERA.

First baseman Jeff Rook, second baseman Ryan Kyes and right fielder Cory Keylor were named Second Team All-MAC.

Rook hit .293 for the Bobcats, driving in 42 runs. His 17 home runs broke his own single season Ohio record by one. The first baseman also had a .989 fielding percentage.

Kyes was third in the MAC with 78 hits and a .400 average. His average was also the highest for the Bobcats. His 55 runs scored led the Bobcats and also tied him for third in the MAC. He hit 12 home runs and had 43 RBI.

Keylor hit 13 home runs while batting .349. He also had a .693 slugging percentage.

Seniors produce in final games

Seniors Schiml, Rook, outfielder Matt Reed and shortstop Brian Wingfeld made their last performances in an Ohio uniform memorable.

Schiml pitched a complete game allowing two runs in Ohio's first game of the MAC Tournament on May 17. The left-hander remained unbeaten in MAC play.

Rook hit a three-run home run in the first inning of Ohio's last game of the season against Miami on May 19. Rook later came in to pitch three innings. He allowed three hits and two runs.

Reed came in as a pinch runner and despite a broken arm scored a run against Kent on May 19.

"I was glad to see Matt Reed get in there and score a run with his cast on," Head Coach Joe Carbone said.

Wingfeld hit a home run over the left field fence in his final at bat for the Bobcats against Miami on May 19.

"I felt good for Brian," Carbone said. "He worked real hard. He played a good shortstop for us for three years. I'm real happy he got up there and hit a home run in his last at bat."

Senior reliever Bryan Costin did not play in the MAC Tournament.

"I wish I would have gotten Bryan Costin into the game in the tournament, but we had to think about winning the ball game and what we needed to do to get that done first," Carbone said.

Ohio uses only starters

The Ohio starting pitchers did the bulk of the work from the mound in the regular season, but once the Bobcats started the MAC Tournament, they did all of it.

Schiml started the first game of the tournament May 17 against Ball State and went the distance.

Denny McGee started the second game May 18 against Miami with Walt Novosel relieving him. Novosel then came back to start the third game May 19 against Kent. Andrew See started the fourth game May 19 against Miami, with Rook relieving him.