FL Joliet Slammers

Slammers vs. Grizzlies - Game Notes - May 21, 2013

Published on May 21, 2013 under Frontier League (FL)
Joliet Slammers News Release


Last time out

The Traverse City Beach Bums scored first for the third straight time in the series but this time they were able to hang on to beat the Slammers by a score of 6-2 on Sunday. Scott Dunn was outstanding for the Beach Bums, going seven shutout innings to pick up the victory. Meanwhile Joliet left eight men on base and made two crucial errors in the field. Offensively, Jose Vargas picked up three hits, two of them doubles as he drove in three runs for Traverse City. Starter Brett Zawacki went five innings, giving up two runs for Joliet. The sixth inning was when the Beach Bums broke the game open. Already up 2-0, they scored three times, taking advantage of two Joliet errors by second baseman Nate Wilder. The Slammers scored one run respectively in the eighth and the ninth but it was too little too late.

For Starters...

Jacob Sanchez makes his second appearance and first start of the year for Joliet. He picked up the save with one scoreless inning on Opening Night. Sanchez had a very impressive rookie season for the Slammers. In 11 starts he posted a 5-2 record with a 2.89 ERA. Sanchez struck out 45 batters and walked only 15. The right-hander went at least six innings in eight of his 11 starts. Before coming to Joliet, Sanchez was the Midwest Collegiate Conference Pitcher of the Year in 2012. Sanchez finished the 2012 Iowa Wesleyan season with a 10-2 record and a 2.42 earned run average, including 111 strikeouts, 12 walks, 71 hits allowed and 28 runs allowed (25 earned) in 93 innings pitched. He led the MCC in strikeouts and innings pitched, was second in wins and third in earned run average and opponents' batting average (.208). Sanchez obliterated the Iowa Wesleyan single season strikeout record, becoming the first player in school history to go over 100 K's in a season, and also tied the school record for wins in a season. He also was a recipient of a Gold Glove award with one error in 29 chances in the field.

Gateway connections...

Joliet manager Mike Breyman played for the Grizzlies from 2004-2008. He was their bench coach in 2009 and hitting coach in 2012. Reliever Jonathan Gonzalez, starter Brett Zawacki and INF Jerod Yakubik all played for the Grizzlies in 2012.

Hitting the road...

Tonight marks the first road game of 2013 for the Slammers. They went 19-29 away from Silver Cross Field in 2012 and 28-21 in 2011. Joliet dropped two of three the one time they visited Gateway in 2012.

They gone!

The Slammers' pitching staff struck out 14 batters Opening Night, tying the team record for most strikeouts in one game.

A new era...

The Slammers enter the 2013 campaign with an entirely new coaching staff and an almost completely new roster. Manager Mike Breyman enters his first year as the team's skipper while Eric Coleman and Dave Garcia will serve as the team's new pitching and hitting coaches respectively. All three have experience coaching in the Frontier League and Breyman is a former Frontier League Coach of the Year. Coleman has managerial experience in the league with Oakland County. Meanwhile, only six players remain from the 2012 team (Ben Hewett, who played the first part of the year with Joliet, Kyle Maunus, Chase Doremus, Jacob Sanchez, Mike Barsotti and David Christensen). Only Maunus and Hewett remain from the 2011 championship squad.

Injury Report...

OF David Christensen (groin) and LHP David Jensen (shoulder) are currently on the Injured List for Joliet.

Check out the Joliet Slammers Statistics

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Frontier League Stories from May 21, 2013


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