Andrew Wellman
Setting the Scene:
The Wittenberg baseball team experienced plenty of ups and downs in the 2007 season. The Tigers ended up with an overall record of 18-19, including a North Coast Athletic Conference (NCAC) West Division record of 8-8. An eight-game winning streak between April 6 and April 21 gave way to a five-game skid to end the season for the Red & White and eliminated the team from the playoffs. The record was not where the Tigers had hoped to be, but the season was full of highlights anyway.
Three Wittenberg players earned mention on the All-NCAC teams following the 2007 season.
Catcher Matt Steinke (Wapakoneta, Ohio/St. Mary's Memorial) made his first career appearance on the first team after hitting .336 as the starting catcher for 36 of the Tigers' 37 games. Steinke led or tied for the team lead in multiple offensive categories, including runs scored, doubles, triples, home runs, total bases and walks.
First baseman/designated hitter Andrew Wellman (Huntington, W.Va./Huntington) garnered honorable mention honors, along with pitcher Tyler McClain (Springfield, Ohio/North). McClain was the Tigers' most consistent starting pitcher, throwing more innings than any other hurler while posting a 4.75 earned run average and holding opposing batters to a .271 batting average.
Wellman recovered from injury midway through the season but still managed to turn in a stellar performance. He led Wittenberg's everyday players in batting average at .443, and in the same category went on to take the third spot in the conference. He also led the team's everyday players in on-base percentage with a .564 figure, while earning a .973 fielding percentage in the field.
Super Seniors:
Super Seniors: The 2007 senior Tigers will be remembered as a very accomplished class, despite their small numbers. Just three seniors left the team following graduation, including Wellman, McClain and Trey Richardson (Urbana, Ohio/West Liberty-Salem).
Matt Steinke
In four years, Wellman hit for a sensational .397 batting average and played nearly flawless first base for a fielding percentage of .991. After transferring to Wittenberg as a sophomore, McClain tallied a 5.74 career ERA. His senior year was easily his best, dropping his opponents' batting average from .305 in 2006 to .271 in 2007. Richardson finished with a 4-3 record, holding batters to a .281 batting average in his career.
A Bright Future: In store for 2008 is one of the largest Tiger rosters in recent memory, including many potential contributors from every class year. That includes impact players up and down the roster who will return for another shot at the tough NCAC West Division title chase.
Patrick Williams (Plainfield, Ind./Plainfield) and Steinke figure to lead the charge, having continued their successful ways after breakout 2006 seasons. Williams' .385 batting average in 2007 was just the start of his relentless offensive attack on opposing pitchers. Williams also led the Tigers in stolen bases with 10 in 13 attempts, and hit for the second-most total bases on the team on the strength of a team-leading 45 singles, nine doubles and a home run.
Joining Williams will be Joel Puthoff (Russia, Ohio/Russia), who could make a return to the pitching mound after exclusively occupying the starting shortstop position in 2007. Josh Fiebiger (Fletcher, Ohio/Miami East) should again contribute to the Tiger pitching staff after compiling a 4-1 record in the most recent campaign. He was the Tigers' most consistent relief pitcher in 2007. Jacob Michael (Powell, Ohio/Olentangy Liberty) drove in 26 runs in 2007, and he started the most games of any Tiger, 37, for the second year in a row. A fleet of other Tigers all made contributions in 2007 and hope to make an even bigger impact in 2008. A total of four seniors, including the versatile Tyler Christello (Eaton, Ohio/Eaton), hot-hitting Jeremey Fruhwirth (Beavercreek, Ohio/Beavercreek), Puthoff and Steinke will take to the field for the last time in 2008 hoping to make a big splash, while 10 juniors return for a third collegiate campaign. Seven sophomores and 20 freshmen round out the roster breakdown for the Red & White heading into 2008.
The Coach:
Jay Lewis (Wittenberg '94) became head baseball coach at his alma mater in 1996, with his first season at the helm in 1997. Lewis, who previously served as an assistant coach for one year for the Tigers, has compiled a 230-187-4 record, breaking the school record for career baseball coaching victories during the 2006 season.
Lewis excelled on the diamond for the Tigers in the early 1990s. Lewis was a three-year starting catcher for Wittenberg from 1991-1993 after spending his first season at West Virginia Wesleyan. Prior to his time at Wittenberg, Lewis was an assistant coach at St. Paris Graham High School, where he helped lead the Falcons to a Division II State runner-up finish in 1995.
During his head coaching stint at Wittenberg, Lewis' teams have averaged more than 20 wins a season. Several players, including Brent Parke, Ryan Born, Ryan Peters and Kurt Hartfelder, have gone on to play professional baseball.