May 18, 2009 - Geneva College
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May 18, 2009

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Van Zanic                                                                                                                                

Director of Sports Information

(724) 847-6886

vgzanic@geneva.edu

NEWS RELEASE

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

May 18, 2009

POST-SEASON AWARDS ARRIVING EARLY

FOR GENEVA BASEBALL

Beaver Falls, PA – Usually a team has to be completed with its season before receiving any post-season honors. For the Geneva College baseball team, it still has some work left to do at the NCCAA national tournament this weekend, but the awards have already started to arrive. Both on an individual and team basis, the Golden Tornadoes have received honors from the NCCAA and the Presidents′ Athletic Conference in the last seven days.

The PAC coaches voted on their all-conference awards and selected three Golden Tornadoes as recipients for Coaches Honors, which is the equivalent of All-Conference consideration for an NCAA provisional school. Pitchers Matt Baer and Derek Sumner, along with outfielder Tadd Eyster were all honored by the PAC coaches. Baer was 8-2 with a 4.94 ERA in 13 appearances while Sumner posted a record of 8-4 with an ERA of 2.59. Sumner also set the Geneva single season record for strikeouts with 93 in 83 innings of work. Eyster hit .388 with a team high 54 runs scored and 41 stolen bases in 2009.

The NCCAA also announced is All-Region teams last week and several Geneva players were recognized. In addition to Sumner and Eyster on the first team, Joe and Jon Jurinko were first team selections on the All-Eastern Regional team, along with Joel Gatti. Joe Jurinko hit .387 while younger brother Jon collected 50 hits for a .388 batting average. Gatti his .328 with 32 RBI′s in 38 games. Baer was an honorable mention selection along with teammates Andy Lubich and Justin McGurgan.

While individual awards are certainly very special and well-deserved, it is the team award for the Golden Tornadoes that may be the most important to head coach Alan Sumner. Geneva′s baseball team was awarded with the PAC Team Sportsmanship Award. Only one team per sport is selected by membership schools and the Golden Tornadoes baseball team became the first Geneva team of any kind to receive this honor.

The Golden Tornadoes open the NCCAA national tournament in Mason, Oh on Wednesday at 10 am when they face Palm Beach Atlantic. The winner will face top seeded Malone University at 7:30 pm on Wednesday night.

Geneva College is a comprehensive Christian college of the arts, sciences and professional studies. Founded in the tradition of the Reformed Christian faith, Geneva prepares students to serve Christ in all areas of society: work, family and the church. Geneva College′s philosophy of education is based on the Foundational Concepts of Christian Higher Education. Geneva is a founding member of the Council for Christian Colleges & Universities (CCCU).

May 18, 2009