Florak hopeful entering tourney
The Penguins would like to repeat their success from 2004.
By JOHN KOVACH
VINDICATOR SPORTS STAFF
STRUTHERS -- The Youngstown State baseball team, which has been getting strong hitting from Erich Deidrich, Brandon Caipen and Justin Banks, and outstanding pitching from Ryan Sellman, is dreaming about a possible second Horizon League championship and NCAA tournament berth.
The Penguins, who won the 2004 Horizon League championship, opens this year's league tournament Wednesday morning at 11 against Butler at Nischwitz Stadium at Wright State University.
YSU (26-27, 16-13 Horizon League) is seeded No. 4 after ending the regular season Saturday with a doubleheader sweep of Cleveland State, while Butler (18-34, 9-21) is the No. 5 seed.
Two years ago, the Penguins were the No. 7 seed but went on to win their first league title.
Florak optimistic
YSU coach Mike Florak, in his eighth season, is optimistic about his team's Horizon chances this year.
"We have experienced players who two short years ago were part of a championship team, so we're hoping they remember what it takes to do it," said Florak after YSU's practice session Monday at Cene Park. "We are swinging our bats pretty well. We're keeping the ball on the ground."
Plus Florak pointed out, "You always feel good about your team at the end of the year. We have no major injuries, just some nagging ones. But overall we are healthy."
The Penguins also have Diedrich, Caipen, Banks and Sellman, who all have either broken, tied or are nearing school records to give the team a strong nucleus.
Diedrich, sophomore designated hitter and the team's top hitter (.358), had six RBIs in YSU's sweep of CSU to break the school's single-season record with 56. He had 33 RBIs last year.
Brian Caipen, a senior catcher and the second-leading hitter (.345), has a team-best 76 hits this year and needs only five more to break the school's single-season record of 80. He has had two five-hit games this season which tied the school's single-season record.
Banks, a senior third baseman and the third-leading hitter (.344), set three career school records this year -- doubles, total bases and games played.
Sellman has been a gem
Sellman, a sophomore right-hander, is the gem of the pitching staff with a 6-0 record, 2.14 earned run average and six saves. He has 12 saves for his career and needs only four more to break the school's career record of 15.
Also batting over .300 are sophomore infielder Josh Page (.343) and freshman infielder John Koehnlein (.322).
Diedrich said he wasn't aware that he was nearing the RBIs record until he checked the YSU Web site recently.
"It is definitely an honor. But I couldn't have done it without my teammates getting in scoring position. The guys in front of me have been producing," said Diedrich, who also leads the team in homers (9), doubles (13), slugging percentage (.577) and total bases (116).
He credits an offseason program for some of his hitting success.
"I was hitting the ball hard in the offseason. I have an hitting instructor [Chris Check]," said Diedrich, also noting that Florak and assistant coach Jim Lipinski also have helped.
Caipen delivers at plate
Caipen said he is "seeing the ball better" for his strong performance at the plate. He also leads the team in runs scored (47), and is No. 2 in RBIs (45), homers (5), doubles (18), slugging percentage ( .505 ) and total bases (11).
"I'm swinging at better pitchers and I have a lot more focus," Caipen said. "I have more discipline this year and that comes with getting older."
Banks said he is doing a lot of opposite-field hitting which has helped his batting average.
"I'm hitting the ball the other way, driving it to right field. They are pitching me more to the outside," said Banks, who also has 28 RBIs, four homers and 13 doubles.
Sellman said that control of his changeup and getting ahead of the batters with strikes have been big parts of his success.
"My changeup is working well. I can throw it where I want to for strikes," said Sellman. "I'm throwing a lot of strikes and working ahead on the count. I'm getting strikes earlier in the count, and then you can throw what you want to after that."
kovach@vindy.com