25 May 2000
CONTACT: Stew Salowitz, (309) 556-3206 or head coach Dennis Martel, (309) 556-3335
Senior Clift Named "MVP" for Titan Baseball Squad
BLOOMINGTON, Ill. -- Senior Jeff Clift has been chosen as the "Most Valuable Player" for the Illinois Wesleyan University baseball team.
Clift, a third baseman from Manville (Streator Woodland HS), batted .272 with 32 runs batted in and a team-high eight home runs. He also had nine doubles and a triple. His 45 runs scored is the sixth most in a single season at IWU and his 30 walks in second most.
A first team all-CCIW selection, Clift finished his career No. 6 in runs scored in IWU history with 113, No. 9 in doubles (29), and third with 77 walks.
"Jeff was a clutch performer for us and a solid leader for a young team," said IWU head coach Dennis Martel, whose team, made up predominantly of underclassmen, was 29-16-2 overall and 14-7 in the College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin. "He hit .388 with five homers in the tough conference season, when he really stepped up to show the kind of tough competitor he is."
In other team honors, junior Adam Palmer was named the team's "Most Valuable Pitcher" and junior catcher Chad Rock was named "Best Defensive Player."
Palmer (Naperville, North HS) had a 9-2 record with a 1.70 earned run average and set a school single-season record with four shutouts. He already holds the IWU career record with six shutouts, topping the old mark of five by Ed Moore, who pitched from 1975-78.
The CCIW first teamer fanned 64 batters in 79 1/3 innings and has 155 career strikeouts, fourth all-time at IWU. His nine wins is second most in an IWU season and his 16-11 mark after three years ties him for seventh in Titan wins.
"Adam had a great year and matured as a pitcher," said Martel. "He really picked up the slack for us having to go without [pitcher] Matt Fehland." Fehland, last season's co-MVP and all-CCIW player, was limited by arm problems to only 11 innings pitched.
Rock (Roberts, Paxton-Buckley-Loda HS) made only three errors in 269 chances for a .989 fielding percentage. Offensively, he provided seven doubles, knocked in 21 runs and batted .262.
Sophomore pitcher Ben Pasulka and junior infielder Tony Merritt were co-winners of the "Most Improved Player" honor and freshman second baseman Ryan Gilfillan was "Top Newcomer."
Pasulka (Chicago, Loyola Academy), who was second team all-CCIW and honorable mention all-region, was 6-3 with a 2.39 earned run average this spring and struck out 50 in 60 1/3 innings.
Merritt (Decatur, MacArthur HS) batted .306 this year, an improvement over his .156 average as a sophomore. He had 24 runs batted in and scored 29 runs.
Gilfillan (Peoria, Notre Dame HS) batted .342 in his first college season with 54 hits, 45 runs batted in, 13 doubles, and four triples, all ranking among the top 11 performances in a season in IWU baseball history. He led IWU with a .438 on-base percentage.
Freshman Kent Devine (Oak Forest HS) won the annual "Titan Award," which is given for hustle and competitive attitude.
Freshman Jeremy Hunt (Champaign, Centennial HS) led IWU with a .358 batting average. His 47 runs scored is third most in a seaon at IWU and his 58 hits is tied for fifth best.
Hunt, Gilfillan, and junior outfielder Haneef Omar (Rockford, Guilford HS) each played in all 47 games, a school record, and as a team the Titans established school marks for at bats (1,401), innings pitched (353), complete games pitched (22), and strikeouts (270).
Martel awarded letters to 23 players, including nine freshmen. The lettermen are, with hometowns and high schools:
SENIORS - Bill Cahoon (Elgin, Larkin HS); Jeff Clift (Manville, Streator Woodland HS); David Nazha (Arlington Heights, Hersey HS).
JUNIORS - Matt Fehland (Herscher HS); Tony Merritt (Decatur, MacArthur HS); Haneef Omar (Rockford, Guilford HS); Adam Palmer (Naperville, North HS); Chad Rock (Roberts, Paxton-Buckley-Loda HS); Josh Ward (Lindenhurst, Carmel HS).
SOPHOMORES - Matt Harms (Fairbury, Prairie Central HS); Nate Kren (Joliet, Catholic HS); Ben Pasulka (Chicago, Loyola Academy); Jon Sikma (Momence HS); Rhett Stenzel (Channahon, Minooka HS).
FRESHMEN - Kory Blumer (Farmer City, Blue Ridge HS); Steve Brook (Chicago Heights, Homewood-Flossmoor HS); Ryan Gilfillan (Peoria, Notre Dame HS); Jeremy Hunt (Champaign, Centennial HS); Chris Kaufman (Normal, West HS); Mike Mazzone (Carol Stream, Glenbard North HS); Scott Schiller (McHenry, Johnsburg HS); Steve Schilsky (Springfield, Sacred Heart Griffin); Eric Zier (Lockport HS).