Dominate pitcher inducted into Olivet Nazarene Athletics Hall of Fame
Posted: Thursday, November 5, 2009
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
November 6, 2009
Contact:
Nick Birkey
Olivet Nazarene University
Men’s Sports Information Director
Tel. 815-928-5565
E-mail: nbirkey@olivet.edu
Dominate pitcher inducted into Olivet Nazarene Athletics Hall of Fame
Former baseball pitcher Matt Schweitzer was among six inducted into the Olivet Nazarene University Department of Athletics Hall of Fame on Friday, November 6, 2009.
Schweitzer was a member of the ONU baseball team from 1997-2000. During his career he was selected as the CCAC Pitcher of the Year and a NAIA Second Team All-American in 2000. He also pitched on the 2000 CCAC Regular Season Champion and NCCAA National Championship team. Notably, Schweitzer went on to play for the Kansas City Royals in 2003.
Schweitzer finished his career on the season pitching all-time list in eight categories (all in 2000); first with 15 wins, first with 125.7 innings pitched, first with 20 appearances, first with 14 complete games, first with 111 strikeouts, first with 510 batters faced, tied for third with 99 hits allowed, and second with a .938 winning percentage (15-1 record).
He also finished his career on the career pitching all-time list in seven categories; first with 29 wins, first with 328.7 innings pitched, third with 55 appearances, first with 30 complete games, first with 301 strikeouts, second with 321 hits allowed, and first with 1,342 batters faced.
Currently, Schweitzer is coaching high school baseball and giving baseball lessons locally. He and his wife, Lindsay, live in Kansas City, Mo. Matt has also been fortunate enough to just have finished his 10th season in the Atlantic League playing professionally with the Southern Maryland Blue Crabs.
Schweitzer joined five other former Olivet athletes as 2009 Hall of Fame honorees. Rainer Caldwell (football, 1990-1993), Lee Coomler (men’s basketball, 1998-2000), Steve Hassell (football, 1987-1990), Drew Neal (men’s basketball, 1997-2000), and Shanda Spurlock (track and field, 1998-1999).
The six inductees bring the total number of inductees into Olivet’s Hall of Fame to 79. The first class was in 1982, when the University inducted former director of athletics and coach C.W. “Butch” Ward.
Nick Birkey
Men's SID
