Tuesday, April 28, 2009 8:18 AM CDT
Charleston-Mattoon pitching matchup is planned for EIU-SIU
By Brian Nielsen, Sports Editor
bnielsen@jg-tc.com
Starting the Charleston kid is no public relations stunt, Jim Schmitz insists.
Putting two Eastern Illinois players likely to be chosen in this spring’s pro baseball draft along with two locals in an autograph session, sending mailings to Mattoon youth baseball players, offering a free three-day baseball camp to a contestant during the game, yeah, those are all promotions.
But Charleston’s Matt Miller is Schmitz’s choice to start in a game Eastern really wants to win against Southern Illinois as the Panthers for the second straight year are taking a home game to Mattoon’s Grimes Field in Peterson Park.
The fact Mattoon’s Ryan Bradley the scheduled starting pitcher for Southern Illinois while Miller goes for EIU sure spices this night planned at Mattoon.
“That’s just a neat little story line,” Schmitz said.
This is to be Miller’s second start of the season a week after he showed some good signs after a shaky first inning when he had a no decision in Eastern’s 15-8 loss to Bradley – the Bradley university from Peoria not the Bradley pitcher from Mattoon.
The right-handed sophomore has pitched in 11 games allowing 16 earned runs in 22 2/3 innings for a 7.54 ERA.
“Matt has been pitching better and better every time we go out there,” Schmitz said. “We need him for the season and who we need to see who can pitch in the postseason for us.”
Southern’s announced starter is Bradley, who joined the Salukis as a junior after two junior college seasons at Kaskaskia where he chose to go despite being drafted out of high school by the San Francisco Giants
The fact that he would be making his first start with Southern at Mattoon would not be a coincidence.
“It’s something that I threw out at our pitching coach,” said Southern Illinois coach Dan Callahan, the former Eastern Illinois coach who while battling cancer is not making road trips this season. “I thought it would be nice with him coming back home. My biggest concern would be his pitch count. He mentioned a week or 10 days his arm was a little tender.”
The lefty from Mattoon has pitched in 14 games in relief, stands 0-1 with a 7.30 ERA with 12 strikeouts and four walks in 12 1/3 innings.
“He’s been more of a spot relief,” Callahan said. “We’ve used him in situations where we needed a left-hander. He’s had some appearances where he’s come in and done well and others where he’s not done so well. I think I’d be lying if it was all glorious. He’s had rough times, too.”
Both of these pitchers have played for Mattoon’s Post 88 American Legion team at Grimes Field where Kurt Stretch, the superintendent of Mattoon’s parks, lakes and cemetery, is looking to once again have the local baseball facility spruced up for a big crowd.
Last year a big crowd filled seats and lined fences to see Illinois with Mattoon products Kyle Hudson Ryan Hastings visit while Eastern built an early lead and had another former Green Wave Ross Jeske retire all six Illini he faced to close the Panthers’ 13-13 win.
Not only is admission free to this NCAA Division I game but fans can also keep any foul ball they corral.
The game to be televised by WEIU is scheduled to start at 6:35 p.m.
First comes an autograph session.
EIU’s Brett Nommensen, who as of April 13 was leading the nation with a 1.021 slugging percentage and .649 on-base percentage and was atop the Ohio Valley Conference with a .521 batting average and 11 home runs, cannot play while recovering from surgery but is able to sign autographs that could become who-knows-how-valuable in the future.
Tyler Kehrer, the OVC Pitcher of the Week after firing a one-hit shutout with 14 strikeouts Sunday against Southern Illinois Edwardsville, as well as Charleston’s Josh Wilson and Matt Miller are the EIU players to participate in the autograph session.
Nommensen and Kehrer are both juniors likely to be chosen in the June’s draft.
Pregame festivities also include WMCI’s Bub McCullough to throw out the first pitch and Mattoon’s Anthony Sheehan to sing the national anthem.
“I think definitely what we’re trying to do is make it an annual thing,” Schmitz said. “I’m so amazed about the city of Mattoon and how they love their baseball. I hope we have a similar type of reception as last year.”
But Wednesday is more than just a meet-and-greet.
Eastern is 32-9 going into today’s game against Missouri to be played at O’Fallon, Mo., before coming back to Coles County for the Wednesday game and then heading to Southeast Missouri for a Saturday/Sunday series between the first- and second-place teams in the Ohio Valley.
A few weeks ago when asked about a potential NCAA at-large berth or certainly seeding implications if his Panthers would win the OVC tournament, Schmitz only talked about staying focused on the OVC race.
Now he does not deny that this week’s games against Big 12 and Missouri Valley Conference opponents are more than just midweek tune-ups.
“We’re going to go the best we can in these midweek games to get wins,” Schmitz said. “We’re putting together a pretty good resume for the end of the season. I told the team after (Sunday’s) win we’re getting awfully close to a really good season.
“I think our RPI is No. 39. We haven’t really talked about it with the team but those guys are on the Internet more than anybody. As a coach I’m obligated right now to get as many W’s as I can to put a nice resume on the table on the 24th.
So this is no exhibition game with the Charleston kid pitching. Just a night that could be special.
Brian Nielsen is sports editor of the Journal Gazette/Times-Courier. Contact him at bnielsen@jg-tc.com or 238-6856.
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