2007 University of the Cumberlands Baseball Wrap-Up

The University of the Cumberlands Patriots baseball team had their season end at the Mid-South Conference Tournament in Georgetown, KY, for the first time in three years. The last two years, the Patriots have earned a bid to the NAIA Regional Tournament, but this year, the Patriots (35-19, 10-8) fell just short as they went two games and out in the MSC Tournament to finish their 2007 season.

The Patriots started out with an outstanding #15 ranking in the NAIA pre-season poll. After having an early 8-6 record, the Patriots pulled out the bats to win 14 of their next 15 games entering Mid-South Conference play. Season highlights include tough competitions with top 10 ranked Tennessee Wesleyan College and NAIA ranked MSC opponent Campbellsville University.

Although a slow start, the Patriots kept the ball rolling once they began hitting. The Cumberlands outscored their opponents 68-16 in the first inning throughout the season and 409-240 on the season. Not only the bats, but the base running as well aided in more Patriots victories. The 2007 squad now holds the school record for the most stolen bases in a season with 120 out of 139 attempts being successful.

Many individuals were honored for their contributions and accomplishments on the season. First and foremost, the fifth year senior from Richwood, KY, Daniel Guttridge received the nod for the Player of the Year in the Mid-South Conference. Guttridge hit 0.391 on the season and lead the team with his 52 runs and being hit by 17 pitches. Guttridge also has contributed greatly to the program this year with his 63 hits, 14 doubles, 92 total bases and 18 stolen bases.

Receiving First Team All-Conference recognition was Javier Gali-Rodriguez (Corozal, PR), Daniel Guttridge, Robert Mills (Las Vegas, NV), and Adam Blakey (Jamestown, KY). Gali-Rodriguez is a junior and the only one with statistics higher than Daniel Guttridge. Gali-Rodriguez batted 0.374 on the season, and led the team with 70 hits, 18 doubles, six triples, and 10 homeruns. He also led with 59 RBI’s and 130 total bases. Mills is a sophomore and has started in all 50 of the games he’s played. Mills is recognized for playing both sides of the ball. He batted 0.316 with 50 hits and six homeruns. Defensively, Mills was a threat behind the plate having thrown out 18 runners that were attempting to steal. Adam Blakey pitched varsity as a sophomore at the Cumberlands. Blakey had a 3.23 ERA and an overall record of 4-1 on the season. In his nine games played, he started five and has pitched one complete game. In his 34.2 innings pitched, Blakey has given up 16 earned runs and has struck out 41 batters, the second best strikeout percentage on the team.

Although they did not receive First Team All-Conference, three of the Patriots received Honorable Mention for their efforts in the 2007 season. Senior, Victor Wooldridge ( Jamestown, KY), Freshman, Josh Konicek ( Las Vegas, NV), and Junior, Mike Fiers ( Ft. Lauderdale, FL) all were honorably mentioned. Wooldridge, the starting first baseman, had a 0.321 batting average and led the team with 23 stolen bases. Konicek was the only freshman in the MSC to receive honorable mention. He follows right behind Wooldridge with a 0.319 batting average and records 52 hits. Fiers is a pitcher who comes from a Junior College in Ft. Lauderdale, FL that has proven to be a great aide in the Patriots record this season. As a Junior, Fiers had an ERA of 0.286, a record of 7-2 and led the team with 64 strikeouts.

Lastly, Academic All-Conference Awards were handed out to the student athletes that make a significant contribution to their studies as well as their contributions to the team. Named to the Academic list were: Justin Adams ( New Albany, IN), Joel Dobney ( Xenia, OH), Daniel Guttridge, Alex McDougall ( Bowling Green, KY), Chris Short (Wildwood, MO), and Jon Silverman ( Kettering, OH).

Patriot baseball continues to stand tall with a total record of 1133-615, with head coach, Brad Shelton earning 225 of the wins after his sixth season. In the last four seasons, the Patriots have two Mid-South Conference regular season championships, a Mid-South Conference Tournament championship, and three NAIA Region XI Tournament appearances.

2006 Season Wrap-Up

2005 Season Wrap-Up

2004 Season Wrap-Up