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Beavers re-write record book following 2008 campaign

Posted: May 21, 2008

May 21, 2008

BLUFFTON, Ohio - The Bluffton University baseball team capped off its 2008 season when five members of the squad were honored by the Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference coaches for their efforts on the diamond this spring. Senior standout TIM KAY (Alpharetta Ga./Blessed Trinity) again earned first team acclaim, the third consecutive year that he has been a first team selection. Seniors TONY MOORE (Elida/Elida) and JIMMY MCMONAGLE (Ida, Mich./Ida) were joined on the list of honorable mention recipients by juniors JAMES HAUSMAN(Milford/Milford) and CHRIS BAUMAN (Milford/Milford).
Tim Kay Finishing his career at Bluffton with another typically outstanding season, Tim Kay collected his third straight first team All-HCAC honor as a designated hitter. Kay made his mark on the Bluffton record book following the 2008 campaign. He ended the season with 81 total bases, the second-highest total ever by a Bluffton baseball player. He stole 14 bases this season which placed him fifth all-time. On the mound Kay fanned 47 batters in 50.0 innings for 8.46 strikeouts per nine innings, making him the team's Most Valuable Player this year.
For his career, Kay put up numbers that moved him near the top of the Bluffton record book in many hitting and pitching categories. His .403 batting average is the third-best among all Bluffton hitters. He ranks sixth with 79 runs batted in and fifth all-time with 34 stolen bases, despite not hitting as a freshman. Kay wrapped up his career at the plate with a whopping .559 slugging percentage to go along with his .455 on-base percentage for a phenomenal OPS (on-base percentage plus slugging percentage) of 1.014. Kay finished his career with 15 complete games (second all-time), 32 games started (third all-time), 196.2 innings pitched and 131 career strikeouts (both fourth all-time). His 12 wins place him in a tie for fifth all-time as a Bluffton hurler.
Tony Moore, who was a first team All-Heartland Conference selection in 2007 and a second team All-Midwest Region selection in 2006, anchored the defense with his play in center field. For his career, Moore started 115 games, scored a Bluffton record 119 runs, stole 38 bases (tied for second all-time) and hit .364. He racked up 462 career at-bats (third all-time) and 199 total bases (seventh all-time). Moore's 54 hits, the third-highest single-season total ever at Bluffton, gave him 168 for his career and tied him with Brad Buckingham for the most career hits by a Beaver.
The third senior to be rewarded by the conference coaches for his play this spring was Jimmy McMonagle. The first baseman saved his best season for last, going 34-of-103 at the plate for a .330 batting average. He started 32 games with 19 RBI and 16 runs scored. McMonagle led the team with six sacrifice bunts, the fourth-highest total ever for a single-season at Bluffton.
James Hausman

Junior pitcher James Hausman picked up his first All-HCAC honor after a 2008 campaign that saw him split time between starting and working out of the bullpen.  James also received Bluffton's Most Outstanding Pitcher award this season. He led the Beavers with a 3.30 earned run average and held the opposition to a .281 batting average. Hausman gave up 47 hits and 28 runs, just 16 earned, in 43.2 innings on the hill.

Chris Bauman, who split time between the outfield and designated hitter, also garnered his first All-HCAC award following his junior campaign. He smoked opposing pitching to the tune of a .330 batting average (34-of-103). Bauman laced 10 doubles, scored 20 runs and drove in 18 while slugging at a .447 clip.
Coaches' awards were given to Corey Conn, Most Improved Player, and Brett Howard, Freshman of the Year. The 2008 version of the Beavers also did great work in the classroom, placing four student-athletes on the Academic All-Heartland Conference team. Senior RYAN BAIGHTEL (Wapakoneta/Wapakoneta) and junior CURTIS SCHROEDER(Shelby/Shelby) were joined by sophomores CODY MCPHERSON (Millbury/Lake) and DAVID RIDDLE (Milford/Milford) on the Academic All-HCAC squad. Nearly half of the Bluffton baseball team, 15 players, posted a spring semester grade point average of at least 3.0, including 11 members who made the Dean's List with a GPA of 3.6 or above.


The Bluffton University baseball team shattered numerous hitting records again in 2008, a common theme during James Grandey's tenure as head coach. The Beavers' 408 hits, 78 doubles and 556 total bases this year all set new standards for Bluffton University baseball. Also topping the team single-season list was 275 runs scored and 236 runs batted in this season. On the bases the Beavers racked up 50 steals, the fifth-best total for a season. Although Bluffton had its share of struggles on the mound, the pitching staff finished with an all-time best 208 strikeouts in 2008. Defensively, the infield turned a Bluffton record 25 double plays.
Jimmy McMonagle Despite missing their goal of a school-record 18 victories, the Beavers were tied or led late in the contest or lost by one or two runs 11 times this season. Bluffton demonstrated that it could play with anybody, going 4-3 against teams that qualified for the NCAA Division III Regionals. The Beavers just missed a sweep of Transylvania and knocked off perennial Ohio Athletic Conference heavyweight Heidelberg on the road this year. Bluffton finished the year with a .318 batting average and was tops in the HCAC in that category going into the final weekend of the season.

-BEAVERS-