Thursday, May 12, 2011
Archuleta named GLVC Coach of the Year
Tracy Archuleta
Archuleta has led the Screaming Eagles to a 34-15 overall record and their fourth-straight GLVC division title, this year winning the East with a 22-7 mark. The Eagles switched to the East this season after winning the West the last three seasons. Archuleta, who was the 2004 GLVC Coach of the Year at the University of Wisconsin-Parkside, is 204-85 (.706) in four-plus seasons at USI. USI senior right-hander Trevor Leach (Danville, Indiana), senior designated hitter Tyler Choate (Carmi, Illinois), and junior shortstop Brad Vance (Louisville, Kentucky) were recognized with first team honors. The GLVC also honored senior right-handers Taylor Dennis (Covington, Indiana) and Dan Marcacci (Jupiter, Florida) with second team selections, while senior centerfielder Justin Blinn (Vincennes, Indiana) was named to the third team. Leach has continued to roll with his record-breaking career in 2011, posting a team-best 9-2 record. He also has a 3.01 ERA and team-best 69 strikeouts. The three-time All-GLVC hurler set the USI career-record for wins (33), appearances (84), innings pitched (341.0), and strikeouts (239) this year. Choate has become a dominate designated hitter in the GLVC after suffering an injury that ended his season on the mound. The senior is hitting a team-best .361 with a team-high 45 RBIs and six home runs. He has raised his batting average 60 points, since suffering the injury on the mound. Vance continues to be "Mr. Clutch" in the middle of the infield for the Eagles. The 2010 Midwest Regional Most Valuable Player, who made a smooth transition from second base this year, is third on the team with a .313 batting average and follows Choate with 44 RBIs. He also is getting hot at the right time, batting .372 with eight RBIs, six doubles, and a triple in his last 12 games. On the second team, Dennis and Marcacci have had solid seasons on the mound for the Eagles. Dennis, who has earned All-GLVC honors for a second straight year, is 6-3 this year with a 3.72 ERA in 14 games and nine starts. Marcacci, who started the year as the closer, has won four straight starts to post a 5-1 mark and a team-best 1.40 ERA. Marcacci's 1.40 ERA is only 0.04 off the USI single-season record. The ERA record of 1.36 was set by Dave Sensenbrenner in 1979 and tied by Nathan Arnold in 2006. Blinn was selected as an outfielder on the third team. The two-time All-GLVC selection is hitting .298 with 35 runs scored and a team-high 20 stolen bases in the lead-off position. The top-seeded Eagles open GLVC Tournament action at 3:30 p.m. Thursday at GCS Ballpark in Sauget, Illinois. USI plays eighth-seeded Rockhurst University in the first round. The USI-Rockhurst contest is preceded by fourth-seeded Quincy University and fifth-seeded Northern Kentucky University in the noon game. The GLVC Tournament starts at 9 a.m. Thursday when third-seeded Northern Kentucky University and sixth-seeded Drury University play at the University of Missouri-St. Louis. NKU and Drury are followed at noon by second-seeded Missouri University of Science & Technology versus seventh-seeded Bellarmine University. The conference tournament runs May 12-15 with the championship game scheduled for 9 a.m. Sunday at GCS Ballpark. |
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