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In his fourth year at the University of Dallas, Coach Strockbine led the team to a 23-15-1 record. In foure seasons at the helm Strockbine is 86-64-2. Coach Strockbine can be reached at 972-265-5778 or cstrockbine@udallas.edu.

2008-09 Baseball Season Review

The 2008-09 season for the University of Dallas Crusaders baseball team was one of success for the team and several individuals. UD finished the spring season 21-15-1, and a final record of 23-15-1 after the two early season fall games were added. The most recent baseball campaign marked the best winning percentage since 2004. UD jumped out with an early season bang as the Crusaders won a three game series against the highly ranked Adrian College Bulldogs on their home field to help the 16-3-1 home record. Besides the stellar record, they ranked in the top 50 in several NCAA statistical categories. The team finished 50th in sacrifice flies with 54, 47th in sacrifice bunts with 28, 42nd in base on balls with 180, 40th in strikeouts per nine innings with 7.8, and 16th in hits allowed per nine innings with 8.78. The players themselves also had impressive individual stats in both NCAA and UD rankings.

Junior first baseman Zach Atkins (Grand Prairie, TX/South Grand Prairie H.S.) led the Crusader offense in several statistical categories including batting average (.410), at bats (139), hits (57), doubles (16), homeruns (13), RBI (57), total bases (114), slugging percentage (.820), and OPS (1.304). His white hot start helped him break the UD single game record with three home runs in an early season 12-5 win over the Blackburn College Beavers in Carlinville, IL, and established the new UD single season record with 13 homeruns. He also tied the school record with a 22 game hitting streak to start the 2009 campaign. In the final NCAA DIII statistical ranking summary, Atkins was 11th in slugging percentage with .843, 13th in home runs with 13, 15th in home runs per game with .35, 27th in RBI per game with 1.49, 13th in total bases with 113, 31st in RBI with 55, 64th in doubles with 16, and 74th in doubles per game with .43. He was also named the Association of Division III Independents (AD3I) Player of the Week once, and the AD3I Student-Athlete of the Month once. At seasons end Atkins was named to AD3I 2009 All-Independent Baseball Teams as a first team first baseman and to the third team of the American Baseball Coaches Association (ABCA) All-West Region teams. Senior shortstop Tom Fogerty (Parker, CO/Ponderosa H.S.) wrapped up his illustrious four year career as the starting shortstop the past three seasons. He finished the season second to Atkins with a .362 batting average (47-130), scored 39 times, drove in 25 more, stole 10 bases to tie for the team lead, and finished with nine extra base hits after starting all 39 games. He ranks second in several career statistical categories at UD including hits, runs doubles, and home runs. He is the career leader in triples with 15 and is tied for the lead in saves with five. In addition, Fogerty was named to the AD3I 2009 All-Independent Baseball Teams as a second team shortstop.

Three other Crusaders finished the season with batting averages above .300 helping to set the table for the high powered UD offense. Freshman outfielder Brian Shelburne (Portsmouth, RI/Portsmouth H.S.) batted .345 (38-110) in 37 games, junior outfielder/pitcher Gabe Sandersius (Tempe, AZ/Corona Del Sol) hit at a .314 clip (44-140) in 38 games, and sophomore third baseman David Rettinger finished the year with a .301 average (37-123) while playing in all 39 games. Shelburne finished 58th in the final NCAA DIII stat rankings in base on balls per nine innings with .8 and 71st in base on balls with 28. He was named to the AD3I 2009 All-Independent Baseball Teams as a third team outfielder after wrapping up an impressive first year with the high batting average, eight extra base hits, 29 runs, 20 RBI, a .482 on base percentage, and a perfect fielding percentage. Sandersius also ranked high in one NCAA statistical category in his first year with the UD baseball team. He finished 18th in triples with four, and added one more in the fall game. Also one of the team's best pitchers, he finished second on the team with 72 total bases and a .514 slugging percentage on six doubles, five triples, and four home runs. He also tied for the team lead with 10 stolen bases. In other NCAA offensive stat rankings, freshman catcher Varea Costello (Anchorage, AK/South Anchorage H.S.) finished forty-fourth in hit by pitch per game with .37 in 28 starts behind the plate. Second baseman/designated hitter Sean McSheffery (Woodridge, IL/Downers Grove North) was sixty-first in the hit by pitch category with 12. Overall, the potent bats of the Crusaders overwhelmed the opponent offense on most occasions. Freshman outfielder Devin Arnold (McKinney, TX/McKinney H.S.), senior outfielder Michael "Fatty" Fattaleh (Phoenix, AZ/St. Mary's), sophomore infielder Martin Lopez (Albuquerque, NM/St. Pius X H.S.), and senior outfielder Clay Evans (Richardson, TX/Richardson H.S.) also contributed to the high powered offensive attack. The team batting average of .303 (352-1161), 258 runs, 61 doubles, 12 triples, 24 homeruns, 232 RBI, 509 total bases, and .438 slugging percentage were significantly better than the opposition. The team also took 186 walks and was hit 54 times to finish with an on base percentage of .418 after the 352 hits were taken into account. Although they had 97 extra base hits, they showed they were able to play small ball as the team finished with 52 stolen bases, 29 sacrifice hits, and 15 stolen bases.

The potent offense wasn't the only thing the Crusaders possessed. Sophomore right handed pitcher Philip Carkhuff (Marietta, GA/The Lovett School) teamed with junior left handed starter Gabe Sandersius (Tempe, AZ/Corona Del Sol) to form a formidable 1-2 punch at the front end of the rotation. The duo combined for 162 innings in 29 appearance (24 starts), 12 victories, 12 complete games, three shutouts, 160 strikeouts, a .231 opponent batting average, and a 2.74 ERA. Both pitchers finished high in the final NCAA statistical ranking summary with Carkhuff ranked 20th in wins with eight, only two behind the DIII leader and two behind the UD single season record holder. Carkhuff was also 40th in strikeouts with 70 and ranked 75th in earned run average with a 2.72. He also led the team with eight wins, two shutouts, and tied for the team lead with six complete games. He held opponents to a .240 batting average and possessed a 1.24 WHIP. Carkhuff was named to the AD3I 2009 All-Independent Baseball Teams as its pitcher of the year and as a first team pitcher. He was also honored by the American Baseball Coaches Association (ABCA) as a third team All-West Region pitcher. Sandersius, the southpaw from Arizona, finished with a 4-8 record and a 3.73 ERA, while proving he was the staff workhorse as he led the team with 89.1 innings. In the final DIII statistical summary, he was 17th in strikeouts with 84 and 64th in hits allowed per nine innings with 7.53. He led the team in appearances with 16 (14 starts), innings, 90 strikeouts, 11 pickoffs, and was tied for first in complete games with six. He also held opponents to a .221 batting average in 321 at bats. He was named to the AD3I 2009 All-Independent Baseball Teams as a third team pitcher following the season.

Freshman Michael Schweiss (Parker, CO/Chaparral H.S.) emerged as the team's number three starter midway through the season and finished with a 5-1 record in 10 appearances (5 starts) spanning 46.2 innings. He added two complete games and 23 strikeouts. Three other pitchers joined Carkhuff with ERAs under three, as freshmen Michael Morrison from Dallas, TX/Lake Hill Prep (2.08) and Michael Byers from Manassas, VA/Seton Home School (2.81) were joined by junior Joe Zimmerman from Woodstock, MD/Chapelgate Christian Academy (2.89). The trio appeared in nine games (4 starts) over 29.2 innings, had 20 strikeouts, and held opponents to .222 batting average. Fogerty, and sophomores Austin Cooper (Afton, OK/Afton H.S.), and Matt Colston (Burleson, TX/Burleson H.S.) all made solid contributions as the team finished with a 4.45 ERA, 255 strikeouts, 17 complete games, four shutouts, one combined shutout, and three saves while holding the opponent to a .248 batting average. The entire UD staff finished 16th (8.78 hits per nine innings), 40th (7.8 strikeouts per nine innings), and 56th (ERA per nine innings) in the NCAA DIII final statistical summary.

Although the UD baseball program will miss the contributions of its four seniors, 19 players will return for the 2009-10 season, and the expectations remain high.

Zach Atkins

Two UD Baseball Players Named ABCA West All-Region

Following a successful season, junior first baseman Zach Atkins (Grand Prairie, TX/South Grand Prairie) and sophomore pitcher Philip Carkhuff (Marietta, GA/The Lovett School) added to the highlights of 2009. The two second year players were named to the third team of the American Baseball Coaches Association (ABCA) All-West Region teams. While Atkins led UD in the majority of hitting categories, Carkhuff did the same on the pitching side.

Atkins led the team in batting average (.410), at bats (139), hits (57), doubles (16), homeruns (13), RBI (57), total bases (114), slugging percentage (.820), and OPS (1.304). He also tied or broke several school records. He set the record with three homeruns he hit in a game versus Blackburn College and the 13 homeruns he recorded throughout the season. The 22 game hitting streak he started in the first game of the season, tied the record at the University. In the final NCAA D3 statistical ranking summary, Atkins finished 11th in Slugging Percentage with .843, 13th in Home Runs with 13, 15th in Home Runs Per Game with .35, 27th in Runs Batted in Per Game with 1.49, 30th in Total Bases with 113, 31st in Runs Batted in with 55, 64th in Doubles with 16, and 74th in Doubles Per Game with .43. During the season he was named the Association of Division III Independents (AD3I) Player of the Week once and the AD3I Student-Athlete of the Month once. He was also named to Association of Division III Independents 2009 All-Independent Baseball Teams as a first team first baseman at the conclusion of the season. In two seasons manning first base for the Crusaders, Atkins has showed significant improvement and durability by compiling a .351 batting average on 98 hits in 279 at bats while starting all of UD's 81 games during that span. He has driven in 90 runs while smacking 25 doubles, 15 homeruns, and 1 triple for 41 extra base hits and 170 total bases for a .609 slugging percentage. He has also scored 68 runs, been walked 34 times, stole 6 bases, and carries a .429 on base percentage.

Just like Atkins, Carkhuff ignored the so called "sophomore slump" to put together a fantastic year on the mound. He finished with an 8-3 record and miniscule 2.72 ERA in 13 appearances covering 72 & two third innings, while leading the UD staff with 8 wins, 2 shutouts, and tying for the team lead with 6 complete games. He held opponents to a .240 batting average and possessed an impressive 1.24 WHIP. In the NCAA's final statistical ranking summary he was 20th in wins with 8 victories, only 2 behind the D3 leader. He was also 40th in strikeouts with 70 and ranked 75th in earned run average with a 2.72 ERA. Following the season, he was named to the AD3I 2009 All-Independent Baseball Teams as its pitcher of the year and as a first team pitcher. Also like Atkins, Carkhuff vastly improved over his rookie season and now is 14-9 with a 4.36 ERA in 29 appearances spanning 161 innings in his UD career. In 23 starts he has thrown 11 complete games and 2 shutouts while striking out 152 batters.

Since the 2004, five Crusaders have been recognized by the ABCA, and four have been honored in the past three seasons. Besides Atkins and Carkhuff in 2009, Tom Fogerty was a second team shortstop in 2008 and Chase Violette was a second team designated hitter in 2007. Brian Spinner was also honored by the ABCA in 2004.

Philip Carkhuff

Crusader Baseball History

Baseball at the University of Dallas dates back as far as the 1916 and 1917 seasons. After a forty year absence, baseball returned to the University of Dallas under the leadership of legendary baseball coach, Al Ogletree. The program was again dropped in 1981, but made a successful return in 1998. Since returning, the baseball teams at the University of Dallas have combined for a record of 311-162-5. In a release from the NCAA following the 2009 season, the UD baseball team ranks in the top 50 in wins and wining percentage in DIII. In 389 games over the span, Dallas has walked away victorious in 255 times, while losing 129 games and tying 5 other times for a .662 winning percentage. The .662 winning percentage is good enough for a 31st place ranking, while the 255 wins secured 34th place on the list.

The Association of Division III Independents

The University of Dallas is a charter member of the Association of Division III Indpendents. Please click on the heading below to check out all the latest information.