Game Notes (PDF)

DETROIT -- Wayne State University (30-14. 20-8) baseball will look to capture its eighth regular season GLIAC title this weekend when Grand Valley (26-13, 20-6) visits WSU Baseball Field for a three-game series. With a sweep, WSU would clinch the regular season title. In addition, Sunday will be Senior Day for seven Warrior student-athletes.

SERIES DETAILS
Dates - May 4, 2013 / May 5, 2013
Times - Saturday at 1 & 3 p.m. / Sunday at Noon
Location - Detroit, Mich. (WSU Baseball Field / 500)
Team Information - Wayne State Baseball / Grand Valley Baseball
Live Stats - Click Here

SERIES STORYLINES
Wayne State (30-14, 20-8) avoided its first three-game losing streak with an 11-5 win in game two on Wednesday at Tiffin after dropping game one, 5-4. Wayne State reached the 30-win plateau for the seventh time in program history and the fifth time in the past six seasons. If the Warriors sweep the Lakers, they would be the regular season GLIAC champions. GVSU leads the all-time series 83-48.

AT THE HELM
Ryan Kelley, who served six seasons on the Warriors' staff including three as WSU's pitching coach prior to being named head coach in September 2008, is in his fifth year at the helm in the 2013 season.  Kelley is the ninth head coach in the 72-year history of the Wayne State University baseball program. Coach Kelley's .607 winning percentage is the highest in program history. In 2011, the Warriors set a school record for wins (35) and advanced to the championship game of the NCAA Midwest Regional for the second time in program history.  Wayne State won 34 games in 2012, qualifying for the GLIAC Tournament for the eighth time in nine years, and for the NCAA Regional for the third straight year.

SENIOR LEADER
 Brad Guenther provided the game-winning runs in both contests in game one vs. Ohio Dominican via home runs, the first in walkoff fashion. The blasts were his fifth and sixth home runs of the season. Currently, Guenther is tied for first with 100 career walks, tied for third with a .987 fielding percentage, eighth in games played (187) and ninth in hits (185). In the GLIAC, he ranks second in runs (43), hits (57), doubles (14), walks (32) and slugging percentage (.620). In addition, he is third in batting average (.380), fourth in home runs (6) and RBI (36) and fifth with 11 stolen bases.

SENIOR CLASS
These seven seniors has combined to play 453 games with 382 starts entering Saturday's games. Wayne state has won 132 games in the past four seasons with a .667 winning percentage. These warriors are the first group in program history to qualify for three straight NCAA Regionals. In addition, this group was part of a program record 35 wins in 2011 and helped Wayne State collect four straight 30-win seasons.

HISTORIC DAY FOR WARRIOR HITTERS
Wayne State won its 20th game at Urbana, 19-8. First baseman, Kyle Zimmerman, drove in a program record eight RBI while hitting a grand slam and a three-run blast. Also leaving the yard were Kenny Davis, Brad Guenther, Jimmy Jackson and Mark Lepri.  The six home runs were also a program record.

ZIMMERMAN'S DOZEN
In the series finale with Malone, sophomore Kyle Zimmerman went 8.0 innings and struck out a career-high 12 Pioneers. It was the most Ks for a Wayne State pitcher since Brady Cooper's 12-strikeout performance at Tiffin on April 18, 2010. Zimmerman now is tied for fifth in the GLIAC with 26 punchouts in his 24.1 innings pitched.

SCOUTING GRAND VALLEY
GVSU is led in average by Kevin Zak who is hitting .382 with nine doubles, one triple and two home runs and has driven in 29 runs for the Lakers. Giancarlo Brugnoni leads the GLIAC with 11 home runs and 42 RBI while slugging .661. Mike Nadratowski is hitting .311 and leads the team with 14 stolen bases. Jamie Potts is hitting .351 while Stephen Claypool is at .339. Chris Rudenga is second on the team with a .358 average and leads the team with 11 doubles. As a team, GVSU is hitting .299. Anthony Campbell tops the staff with a 6-3 record and a 1.91 ERA. Brad Zambron leads the GLIAC with 10 saves. The staff enters this weekend with a 2.62 ERA. Head coach Jamie Detillion is in his first season as the skipper.

WSU BASEBALL ALUMNI WEEKEND
Wayne State baseball will welcome back alumni for its annual Alumni Weekend on Sept. 14-15. This year's event will include a golf outing, a tailgate prior to WSU Football's first ever night game against Ashland at 6 p.m. and an alumni game. Stay tuned to WSUAthletics.com for registration information.

WARRIORS LEND A HAND
During its trip to Florida, Wayne State baseball partnered with the Westgate Foundation and was again able to help out the Ocoee, Fla. Little League with a instructional camp. This has become an annual event and Coach Ryan Kelley and his team all really enjoyed their experience.

WAYNE STATE SUMMER CAMP
Wayne State baseball will again put on its Summer Camp on July 12-13 where participants will receive instruction from Wayne State coaches, student-athletes and other area coaches. Camp attendees will also have the opportunity to meet select Detroit Tigers' players while also being able to win prizes. For more information, visit WSUAthletics.com or contact Coach Kelley at ryankelley@wayne.edu.

WAYNE STATE'S REGIONAL HISTORY
Wayne State has played in the NCAA Regional three straight years and five times overall, qualifying for the first time in school history in 2005.  The Warriors advanced to the championship game of the 2008 tournament in Crestwood, Ill., losing a 3-0 result to Ashland in the third meeting of the tournament between the two schools. This past season, WSU went 0-2 with losses to Northern Kentucky and No. 15 Indianapolis. The Warriors went 0-2 in the 2010 regional, including a 2-1 loss to Northern Kentucky in the opening round.  Last year Wayne State recovered from an opening round loss to Grand Valley State by eliminating three consecutive GLVC foes, including NKU, to force a rematch with GVSU in the title game in Normal, Ill. Over its five NCAA Regional appearances, Wayne State has a 6-10 record.

30-WIN PLATEAU
Wayne State reached 30 wins for the seventh time in program history and the fifth time in the past six seasons. The Warriors will also play in its ninth GLIAC Tournament in the past 10 seasons.

2013 AWARDS BANQUET
The Wayne State University baseball team will hold its annual Awards and Senior Recognition Banquet on Monday, May 6th at 6 p.m. inside the Multipurpose Indoor Facility. Events will include an award presentation, senior speeches and a recap of the season's accomplishments. The cost for the banquet, which includes a buffet dinner, is $20 per guest. To RSVP or sponsor a WSU Baseball student-athlete, please contact development director Kalaya Long at (313) 577-0587 or klong@wayne.edu. Donations of $20 are being accepted. RSVPs are welcome from the public, alumni and university community. Parking will be available in Lot 40 on the south side of the Matthaei Building.