Spalding 2012 Bracketology Flyer

Bracketology Silent Auction Items

•Date – March 11, 2012
•Venue – KFC Yum! Center
•For more information, contact Roger Burkman at 502.585.7141

Tickets can be purchased in 3 ways.

 In Person

Tickets may be purchased at the KFC Yum! Center, the Kentucky Exposition Center and the Kentucky International Convention Center Ticket Offices or any Ticketmaster outlet. The KFC Yum! Center ticket office is located inside the arena (to the right). The physical address is 1 Arena Plaza. 

Ticketmaster Outlets

By Phone
Charge tickets by phone through Ticketmaster by calling 1-800-745-3000.

Online
Purchase tickets online at www.ticketmaster.com.

 Tyler Brown, a sophomore from Chicago, IL, was given the ball in game 1 after going 9-1 with a 1.51 ERA in his first collegiate season.  Brown, once again continued his winning ways on the mound going 7 innings giving up 3 earned runs striking out 4.  Senior Bryan Clemmons led the Golden Eagles offensively going 3 for 4 at the plate with a run scored.  Freshman catcher, Jeremy Barr went 2 for 3  driving in 3 runs.  Keith Gorence also added 2 hits.  Of Spalding’s 6 runs, 5 of them came with 2 outs. 

 In game 2, senior pitcher Taylor Reilly brought a dominating performance through 5 innings only surrendering 1 hit.  Zach Stevenson, a Senior right handed pitcher from St. Louis, MO, came in in relief throwing 2 scoreless innings to close the door. Offensively, Kyle Just led Spalding going 2 for 3 with a run scored.  Junior CJ Ingram belted a home run for insurance purposes only in the 5th inning sealing the Golden Eagles 6-0 victory.

 Head Coach Mike Stawski commented on the 2 game opening day sweep stating, “It’s always good to get wins on opening day. You spend a lot of time during spring training guessing what kind of team you are. After you finally get to play some competition, the coaching staff gets more clarity. Those were two well-played games by our guys, and the fact that we played hard for 14 innings really has the coaching staff excited.”

Spalding is back at home this weekend when they take on Sewanee, the University of the South.  Saturday DH starts at 1pm and Sunday there will be one 9 inning game starting at 1pm.

The Golden Eagles handled Blackburn College 71-47 Saturday afternoon. Jametrius Brasher and Thomas Blakemore both recorded double-doubles. Brasher led Spalding with 16 points and 10 rebounds, while Blakemore added 10 points and 11 rebounds.

Spalding fell to Greenville College 77-73 Monday night. The Golden Eagles fell behind early, trailing 48-36 at halftime. Spalding fought hard in the second half, cutting Greenville’s lead to 1 at 74-73 with 22 seconds remaining, but could not convert in the closing seconds. Jametrius Brasher led the Golden Eagles with 16 points, 8 rebounds, and 3 steals.

The Lady Golden Eagles beat Blackburn 74-51 Saturday afternoon. Kerstin Hayes led the way for Spalding, scoring 30 points and grabbing 7 rebounds.

Spalding defeated Greenville 69-49 Monday night. The game was close early, but Spalding ended the first half with a 21-4 run. Spalding led by 17 points at halftime, and cruised to a 20 point victory.  Kerstin Hayes led Spalding with 20 points and 6 assists.

The Golden Eagles start the season playing their first ten games on the road. They will play in the Hendrix College Spring Fling March 3-4 and the Center College Tournament March 10-11. Spalding will begin a series of three straight home games March 18th when they take on Franklin College. The Golden Eagles will hit the road again playing six of their next seven games on the road, including conference road games against Fontbonne, Principia, Webster, and Westminster. They will play their final four games of the regular season at home starting with Rose Hulman University April 15^th, and concluding their regular season against Greenville College April 28th.

One major reason for Coach Stawski’s high expectations is the return of key talent from last year. A major strength of this year’s team is its returning pitching staff. Most notable is the return of SLIAC Newcomer and Pitcher of the Year Tyler Brown. Following Brown in the pitching rotation will be Seniors Taylor Reilly and Zach Stevenson. Reilly a SLIAC All-Conference Honorable Mention last season has yet to lose a game in his three seasons with Spalding. Having a player the caliber of Reilly to pair with Tyler Brown gives the Golden Eagles on heck of one two punch at the mound. After leading the team in appearances last season Tyler Stevenson will again play a very important role for Spalding again this season. Stevenson will be used as a starter, as well as a shutdown man. The Golden Eagles also return four veteran arms in their bullpen. Seniors Shawn Frederick and Matt Downs will both be relied upon to shut down teams late in the game. Frederick will be the stopper who will come in to shut teams down late in the game. While Downs will be used as the situational lefty they will rely on to get guys out, and get to the next guy. Also coming out of the bullpen will be junior Ben Glassner, and sophomore Cody Richardson. Glassner will continue his role from last season as the long reliever and set up man, and Richardson will again use his quirky motion to help set up the next guy. Rounding out the pitching staff are transfers Kyle Hudson and C.J. Ingram, and Zach Clooney. Hudson, will be looked at to fill the number 3 spot in the rotation, while Ingram and Clooney will used in closing roles this season.

Another key strength for the Golden Eagles will be the continuity of the infield. Spalding will return every player from last season’s team. Heading the group will be two all-conference selections last season, short stop Derek Ferch and second baseman Bryan Clemmons. Offensively Clemmons and Ferch led the team in nearly every category, and defensively Coach Stawski feels they can be the best middle infield tandem in the country if they want to be. First base will return all three players from last year, all of which have experience in the starting lineup. Zane Wheatley heads the group, and will be relied upon as a key run producer for the team this year. Also at first base are Keith Gorence and Cameron Norris. Gorence, a University of Kentucky transfer is known for his solid defense. Norris, a reliable hitter brings a strong presence to the lineup allowing him to play a pivotal role as a DH, starter, and bench player. At third base the Golden Eagles will return last
year starter Kyle Barbee, and newcomer Ira Land. Barbee and Land are in a battle for the starting position. Barbee surprised the coaches with his play last year, but Land has arguably had the best off season of anyone on the team giving the coaches a tough decision to make over the next week.

Just as the infield, the outfield will return all of it starters from last year’s team. Leading the way in the outfield are seniors Kyle Just and Eric Johnson. Just, the projected leadoff hitter led the team last year with 26 stolen bases and was a defensive force in the outfield. Johnson, a first team all-conference selection in 2010 will once again find himself in the mix this season. The other two projected starters in the outfield are Junior, Jordan Messex and C.J. Ingram. Messex, entering his third season with the Golden Eagles has been one of the leading hitters for the team over the past two seasons hitting over .329 in both years. Ingram, a transfer from Longview Community College is a strong athletic player will hit in the middle of the order and most likely patrol right field.

At catcher the Golden Eagles welcome back Kyle Meadors. Meadors, coming off his best season hitting a career best .305 looked to be the starter, but a broken finger has sidelined Meadors most of the offseason. Joining Meadors behind the plate are two freshmen, Rocky Sherwood and Jeremy Barr.
Sherwood comes to Spalding from Los Angeles California, and has the energy and skill to get playing time from day one. Barr is a freshman transfer from Pikeville College. Barr’s size and strength give him the chance to make an immediate impact behind the plate.

Spalding University Baseball opens its 2012 season at home against Centre College on February 21st.  The Golden Eagles will play a total of 7 games, 6 at home, before they take their trip down south. The team will once again be traveling to Orlando, FL to take part in the RussMatt baseball Central Florida Invitational from March 9-16. There, they will take on Regional Championship qualifiers such as Anderson College, Transylvania, Ripon, and RPI. The team will be taking 4 trips to the St. Louis area for Conference play highlighted by an April 22nd showdown against new archrival, the Webster University Gorloks. The USCAA World Series will be held in Springfield, IL this year starting on May 7th and concluding on May 12th.

            The baseball team spent Sunday morning working on the waterfront with members of St. Vincent Church helping feed the homeless of Louisville. Food such as eggs, biscuits, donuts, juice, and coffee were donated and handed out to all that came. The baseball team passed out hats and gloves to help people stay warm and were there to talk with the people to hear their story. Senior, Zach Stevenson, stated this would be an experience he would never forget. “After talking with these people that live on the streets, I was amazed that they are so positive,” Stevenson said. “Their stories, while very disheartening at times were ones that a lot of us could relate too. In the end it was just really good to see so many fallen people be lifted for a brief moment.”

            The team has spent time this year working with mostly children. They have visited the cancer ward at the children’s hospital on multiple occasions as well as visiting local schools with needy or under privileged kids. While both experiences taught the players about values and appreciation, this experience taught the team some humility. Senior second basemen and Louisville native, Bryan Clemmons felt that humility immediately. “Working with the people was an extremely humbling experience for me. After just spending a short part of my day with them, I feel like I won’t be so quick to judge from now on.”

            Before leaving, the team also helped pass out clothes to the homeless and gave each one hand warmers as the cold of winter begins to set in. After all the food and clothes were gone, the homeless went back to the streets where most live on a daily basis, an idea that truly affected the team. “It’s hard to watch everyone leave here without any certainty for them,” Stawski stated. “Here we get to see them eat and get warm and we are able to physically give them things to make their lives just a little better. As they are walking away, I speak for my entire team because I could see it on their faces; we are all thinking ‘now what?’.”

            The team plans to continue its monthly community service projects throughout the city of Louisville and when asked if they would come do this once again, Coach Stawski had this to say. “I wouldn’t be surprised if we came right back here next month. Our guys seemed very moved by all of this and that is one of the reasons we are here.”

            The team begins their season with a doubleheader against in-state rival Centre College on Tuesday, February 21^st at Derby City Stadium at 3:00pm.

The Golden Eagles won a thriller over Webster 65-61 Saturday afternoon. The Golden Eagles were up 13 with a little over for minutes to go, but Webster’s Cody Bradfisch caught fire to keep the Gorloks in the game. The Golden Eagles converted several clutch free throws down the stretch to secure the victory. Jametrius Brasher and Tyler St. Julian led Spalding, scoring 14 points apiece.

Quayshaun Hamilton got things going for Spalding, knocking down a three pointer from the wing to give Spalding a 3-0 lead. Jametrius Brasher corralled an offensive board, and put it back to put the Spalding up 5-0. Webster responded with a floater in the lane to make it 5-2 Golden Eagles. Montray Robertson knocked down a pair of free throws to put Spalding up 7-2, but Webster ran off 4 straight points to make it 7-6. Tyler St. Julian hit a three pointer to put Spalding up 4, but Webster’s Cody Bradfisch hit a jumper in the lane to cut Spalding’s lead to 2. Jametrius Brasher scored on Spalding’s next possession to put Spalding up 4. Webster responded with a 6-0 run to take a 16-14 lead, but Jametrius Brasher tied the game with a jumper in the lane. Webster regained the lead on an acrobatic layup by Stefan Whittingham, but Tyler St. Julian evened it up at 18 with a floater in the lane. Webster’s Ahmad Smith hit a three pointer from the wing to give the Gorloks a 21-18 at the 10:36 mark in the first half. Dominique Sangester hit a jumper from the baseline to make it 21-20. Quayshaun Hamilton converted one of two free throws to tie the game at 21 with 8:11 to play in the first half. Quayshaun Hamilton fed a pass to Thomas Blakemore in transition for a layup to put the Golden Eagles up 23-21. Webster’s Roman Robinson hit one of two free throws to get Webster within 1, but Thomas Blake more would bank in a jumper on Spalding’s next possession to put the Golden Eagles up 25-22. Webster responded hitting a pair of shots in the lane to take a 26-25 lead. Johnell Hardin hit a three point from straight away to put Spalding up 28-26. Webster’s Jarrod Husky hit a floater in the lane to tie the game 28-28. Jametrius Brasher hit a pair of free throws to put Spalding back in front 30-28. Thomas Blakemore banked in a jumper with 3 seconds left in the half to give Spalding a 32-28 lead at the half. Jametrius Brasher led Spalding in the first half with 8 points.

Webster got on the scoreboard first in the second half with a free throw by Roman Robinson to make it 32-29 Spalding. Webster hit another free throw to cut Spalding’s lead to 2, but Jametrius Brasher and Robert Pittman converted in the lane to put the Golden Eagles up 36-30. Webster’s Stefan Whittingham hit a three pointer to cut Spalding’s lead to 3 at 36-33, but Tyler St. Julian matched it on the other end making it 39-33 at the 14:32 mark in the second half. Roman Robinson hit one of two from the free throw line to get Webster within 5 at 39-34. Robert Pittman grabbed a St. Julian miss, and put it back to put Spalding up 41-33. Webster’s Roman Robinson answered on the Gorloks next possession knocking down a three pointer to make it 41-36. Robert Pittman converted two free throws to put Spalding up 7 at 43-36. The Gorloks converted a pair of free throws on their next possession to cut Spalding’s lead to 5. Thomas Blakemore answered for Spalding, banking in a jumper in the lane to give the Golden Eagles a 7 point cushion with 11:07 to play. Tyler St. Julian dropped in a deep three pointer from the wing pushing Spalding’s lead to 10 at 48-38. Webster responded with a 5-0 run cutting it to 48-43, but Tyler St. Julian hit a floater from the baseline to push Spalding’s lead to 7. Tyler St. Julian made a technical free throw to put Spalding up 51-43 with 8 minutes to play. Robert Pittman extended Spalding’s lead to 10, with a put back in the lane. Johnell Hardin pushed the Golden Eagle lead to 12, knocking down a baseline jumper off an inbounds pass.  Thomas Blakemore knocked down a free throw to put the Golden Eagles up 13. Webster responded running off 8 straight points to get within 5 at 56-51 with 3:31 left in regulation.  Jametrius Brasher hit a floater over two defenders to put Spalding up 7, but Roman Robinson hit a free throw to get Webster back within 6. Stefan Whittingham made a layup in transition to cut Spalding’s lead to 4 with just over 3 minutes to play. Johnell Hardin hit two clutch free throws to give Spalding a 6 point cushion with one minute left in game. Webster’s Cody Bradfisch hit baseline jumper to cut Spalding’s lead to 4 with 51.7 seconds remaining. Johnell Harding knocked down one of two free throws, but Bradfisch made another jumper for Webster cutting Spalding’s lead to 3 with 37.8 seconds left. Johnell Hardin buried a pair of free throws to put Spalding up 5, but Cody Bradfisch nailed a fall away three to cut the Golden Eagle lead to 2 with 16.5 seconds left. Jametrius Brasher buried a pair of clutch free throws to with 10.6 seconds left to ice the game for the Golden Eagles 65-61.

Up next for the Golden Eagles are road trips to Blackburn College on the 18th, and Greenville College on the 20th.

LaQuisha Boyd grabbed the rebound from a Melinda Leavell missed jumper, and put it back in giving Spalding the early 2-0 lead. Webster responded hitting a three pointer, but Spalding retook the lead on Megan Davis jumper on the Golden Eagles next possession. Tesha Wright hit one of two free throws to put Spalding ahead 5-3, but Webster ran off 5 straight points to take an 8-5 lead. Kerstin Hayes knocked down a three pointer from the wing to tie the game 8-8. Jessica Guy hit one of two free throws to give Spalding a 9-8 lead with 14:05 remaining in the first half. Webster’s Loren Douglass hit a floater in the lane sparking a 15-3 Gorlok run, putting Webster ahead 23-12 with 8:45 left in the first half. A Tehsa Wright jumper ignited a 9-0 Spalding run, getting Spalding within 2 at the 3:51 mark in the first half.  Barissa Ford hit a jumper to stop the Lady Golden Eagles runs, and put Webster up 4. Kersitn Hayes made a pair of free throws on Spalding’s next possession to make it 25-23 with 1:15 to play in the first.  Barissa Ford made two free throws to put Webster back up 4 with a minute to play in the half. Spalding Trailed 27-23 at the half. Kerstin Hayes led the Lady Golden Eagles in the first half scoring 12 points.

Webster went on a 3-0 run to start the second half, but Kerstin Hayes responded for the Lady Golden Eagles knocking down a three pointer from the wing. Jessica Guy collected an offensive rebound, and put it back in to get Spalding within 2. Cassie Endicott made a layup in transition to put the Gorloks up 4, but Lindsey Roarx made a jumper to get the Lady Golden Eagles within 2 at 32-30. Jessica Guy made one of two free throws to cut the Gorlok lead to 1 at 332-31 with 14:23 to play. Megan Davis hit a jumper in the lane to give Spalding a 33-32 lead at the 13:28 mark in the second half. Jessica Guy extended the Spalding lead, hitting a jumper in the lane to give Spalding a 35-32 lead. A Megan Davis feed to Kayla Thompson for a layup pushed the Golden Eagle lead to 5 with 10:23 to play. Wesbster’s Courtney Pursley made two free throws to get the Gorloks within 3, but Kayla Thompson answered with a layup on Spalding’s next possession to put the Lady Golden Eagles back up 5 at 39-34. Jessica Guy made a layup in traffic, and hit a free throw to put the Lady Golden Eagles up 42-34 with 7:41 to play. Webster’s Megan Willet made a jumper under the basket to cut Spalding’s lead to 6 with 7:13 to play. Kerstin Hayes made layup on Spalding’s next possession to put the Lady Golden Eagles back up 8. Jessica Guy extended Spalding’s lead to 12, hitting a jumper in the lane and knocking down two free throws with 3:34 to go. Kerstin Hayes knocked down two free throws to pushed Spalding’s lead to 14 at 50-36. Melinda Leavell kit a three pointer from the corner to extend Spalding’s lead to 17 with 1:50 to play. The Lady Golden Eagles went on to win 54-41.

Up next for Spalding are road trips to Blackburn College on the 18th, and Greenville College on the 20th.