June 12, 2007

Wayne State University head baseball coach Jay Alexander has announced that redshirt seniors Derek Ranck (Clarkston, Mich.) and Matt Cunningham (Gregory, Mich./Chelsea), as well as junior Anthony Bass (Trenton, Mich.), will serve as team captains for the 2008 season.

"I am looking forward to having these men lead the team next year," said Alexander. "They have earned the respect of their teammates through their hard work, dedication, and commitment to excellence."

Ranck, WSU's Co-Top Hitter and Most Valuable Player in 2007, was selected to the First Team All-GLIAC and the Rawlings/ABCA Second Team All-North Central Region as an outfielder while also receiving a "Golden Glove" award. A two-time GLIAC All-Academic Team honoree, Ranck was one of two Warriors to start all 51 games and finished with the second-highest batting average (.403) on the team and eighth-best in the GLIAC. He had a team- and conference-best 73 hits, four shy of matching Frank Jeney's school record of 77, drove in 48 runs, had 15 doubles and 96 total bases.

Matt Cunningham

Cunningham, a catcher who was also a co-captain in 2007, is a three-time GLIAC All-Academic Team selection. He earned a Rawlings/ABCA North Central Region "Golden Glove" award for outstanding defense, committing just two errors all season (.989 fielding percentage). Cunningham batted .260 with 25 hits, 13 walks, and five doubles while matching his career-high with 16 runs batted in last season.

Anthony Bass

Bass was named to the All-GLIAC First Team as a starting pitcher, leading the Warrior pitching staff (and tying for the conference lead) with eight victories and finishing second in the GLIAC in innings pitched (77.1) and sixth in strikeouts (64) during the regular season. His 3.38 earned run average was third-best in the conference, as he also made a team-high 15 appearances. Bass lasted at least five innings in each of his 12 starts and posted five complete games.

Wayne State matched its conference win total from a year ago, finishing in fifth place at 17-13, and posted 10 more victories overall in 2007 with a record of 29-22. The 2008 campaign will begin in mid-February.