ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Thursday, May 23, 1996 TAG: 9605230044
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B-1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: DANIEL UTHMAN STAFF WRITER
MEMORIAL STADIUM is more suited to host a national championship event, participants say.
Wednesday was practice day for the eight teams entered in the NCAA Division III Baseball Championships, which begin today at Salem Memorial Stadium.
Each team began its final drills at old Municipal Field, but finished workouts at the new stadium. ``Now we'll see who can hit home runs,'' said Marietta (Ohio) pitcher Dave Bertolino in the Memorial Stadium first-base dugout.
Bertolino and his teammates saw only one such player, junior first baseman Joe Thomas, who was named the NCAA Division III player of the year Wednesday. Thomas, named the top position player in Division III by Baseball America, took 10 swings and knocked three times on the scoreboard. The best anybody else could do was bounce it off the warning track.
But the challenging layout of Memorial Stadium isn't worrying the coaches, particularly the ones who played last year at Municipal.
``That wasn't a national championship field,'' said Marietta's Don Schaly, the winningest coach in Division III. ``This is where a national championship should be played.''
Tom Lechnir coached Wisconsin-Oshkosh to a third-place finish last year. As a member of the NCAA Division III baseball committee, he got an early peek at the new park during construction.
``The only thing they didn't do was carpet the concrete,'' he joked.
The eight teams competing for the 1996 title don't want to be in the concrete seating areas anyway. Marietta (43-11) and Upper Iowa (36-12) open championship play today at 10 a.m., followed by William Paterson (35-4-1) vs. Bridgewater State (28-8) at 1:30.
The second session begins at 5 with Methodist (34-7) against Rensselaer (29-3) and Cal Lutheran (30-12-1) against Oshkosh (33-4) at 8:30.
Marietta is the alma mater of Kent Tekulve, the former Pittsburgh Pirates and Salem Rebels pitcher inducted last winter into the Salem-Roanoke Baseball Hall of Fame. He is also a member of the school's board of trustees. Tekulve was coached by Schaly, who has led the Pioneers to three national titles and 15 NCAA championship appearances since 1975.
Upper Iowa is making its first-ever appearance in the championship round. ``Nine years ago we were maybe the worst team in the country, honestly,'' said Peacocks coach Rick Heller.
Honestly, the Peacocks are a championship threat today, thanks to first baseman/pitcher Travis Mueller (MVP of the Iowa Conference) and shortstop Tommy Martinez, who smashed his school record of 60 hits in a season with 84 this year.
William Paterson (N.J.) is led by shortstop Brian Lindner, who is six RBI from breaking former William Paterson star Dan Pasqua's single-season record of 76. Also known as the Pioneers, William Paterson has won its past 17 games and averages 10.95 runs per game.
The Pioneers won the 1992 championship with a 3-1 win over Cal Lutheran. A rematch could happen on Sunday.
First, however, William Paterson must contend with Bridgewater (Mass.) State. The Bears are making their first championship appearance, but they already know about new, strange environments. They didn't play on campus all season because construction delays pushed back its opening to fall of 1996.
Methodist (N.C.) lost just once in the Dixie Conference this season (to Ferrum) and compiled a 17-1 record. The Monarchs return third baseman Neil Barwick, who made the 1995 NCAA all-tournament team.
Rensselaer (N.Y.) is the third team making its World Series debut. The Engineers beat Cortland (N.Y.) State to get here on the strength of Dave Lohrman's arm and Jim Willard's bat. Lohrman struck out 18 Cortland State batters to set a tournament record and Willard was MVP of the New York Regional with 10 RBI and two home runs, including a grand slam.
Oshkosh's opponent, Cal Lutheran, is known for speed and versatility. Senior David Jaglowski played all nine positions in a nine-inning, 39-4 victory over Cal Tech on April 20. He started in right field and finished on the mound. He was also at the plate six times, where he had two doubles, two RBI and five runs.
The tournament runs today through Tuesday. Ticket books are $25 for adults and $13 for students of high school age and younger. Single-session tickets are $5 for adults and $3 for students.
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