February 11, 2013

For Immediate Release

Fort Wayne, Ind. – The Indiana Tech baseball team will open its 2013 campaign on Friday, Feb. 15 with a four-game series against the defending national champions, and No. 1 ranked Tennessee Wesleyan College.

Following a 40-22 year with a WHAC regular season championship, Head Coach Kip McWilliams and his Warriors will enter the new season ranked just outside the NAIA Top 25 at No. 27 in the preseason poll.

Returning for the Warriors are seniors Ignatius Mackenzie and Eric Wald, both were First Team All-WHAC selections a season ago. Tech will look to Mackenzie as the senior leader calling the shots behind the plate. Not only is he a great catcher, he is also an imposing force in the batter’s box. Mackenzie hit .337 last year with a team-best 17 doubles, eight homeruns, and 54 RBI. Wald, in addition to his All-WHAC honor, also earned a WHAC Gold Glove at first base. He is not only a great defensive player but also helped out at the plate hitting .264 with seven home runs and 51 RBI.

On the mound, Tech returns senior pitchers Aaron Lewellyn, Kyle Nolen, and Daniel Puckett. In his first season with the Warriors, Lewellyn went 6-2 with a 3.47 earned run average. He went the distance five times recording two shutouts. Nolen appeared in 17 games last season as the team’s closer and sported a 4.06 ERA with a record of 1-0. Puckett missed the entire 2012 season due to an injury but in 2011 had an ERA of 4.22 with a 5-3 record.

The Tech pitching staff took a hit though, losing three key starters, including the 2012 WHAC Pitcher of the Year Brandon Alger. Alger, who became the third player drafted out of Indiana Tech after being selected by the San Diego Padres in the 26th round, went 8-2 last season with a 2.37 ERA. Along with Alger, the Warriors also lost Tyler Snoke and Eric Zagone to graduation. Snoke and Zagone combined to win 16 games for Tech last year.

Key newcomers for the Warriors this season are shortstop Jacob Dunnichay, and outfielders Justin Kalusa and Ben Christian.

Indiana Tech’s first home game will be on Mar. 21 when they host Rochester College in a doubleheader. Two days later the Warriors will begin conference play when they welcome Concordia University to Warrior Field.

Fans will be able to follow the Warriors all year long, including road contests, with our live webcast available here http://client.stretchinternet.com/client/indianatech.portal#

For more information on Indiana Tech athletics please call the Athletic Office at 260-422-5561 ext. 2492 or visit our website at http://www.indianatech.edu/athletics

- Go Warrior Pride -