Vermilion’s Brett Zientarski was named honorable mention, playing baseball at Notre Dame College of Ohio, as the American Mideast Conference released their baseball awards.

Zientarski had a remarkable season for the Falcons, setting a new program record for home runs in a single season with eight. The senior hit .408 on the season, with a .608 slugging percentage, and led Notre Dame with 43 RBIs.

swalker@MorningJournal.com

The Falcons of Notre Dame College believe they have a perfect fit in former Cleveland Indians pitcher Len Barker. NDC Baseball announced today that Barker has been hired as an assistant coach.

The former Tribe hurler and veteran of 11 Major League seasons is the author of one of the most memorable pitching performances in Indians’ history, a perfect game against the Toronto Blue Jays on May 15, 1981.

“Len brings a wealth of experience and professionalism that will be keys in the ascent of Notre Dame Baseball,” Falcons second-year Head Coach Nick Weisheipl said. “In addition, we are very fortunate to have someone as recognizable as Len to help promote the program and the College.”

Barker’s life in baseball has included 20 years of coaching youth baseball. He also coached three years at the Galloway School in Atlanta in the mid-90s. Over the last 10 years, he has operated a private business in northeast Ohio while working part-time for the Indians.

Barker pitched for Cleveland from 1979-83, racking up 56 wins for the Indians. His Major League career began in Texas in 1976. In addition to pitching for the Rangers (1976-78) and Indians, Barker also pitched for Atlanta (1983-85) and Milwaukee (1987).

The 6-foot-5 right-hander tossed his perfect game, one of just 18 in the 135-year history of Major League Baseball, in his third season with Cleveland after having won 19 games and leading the American League in strikeouts, with 187, in 1980.

In his gem against the Blue Jays, Barker struck out 11 batters, all on swinging strikes. He did not go to a three-ball count on any of the 27 batters he faced that evening. At the time, his outing marked the 10th perfect game in history of baseball and the first in the designated-hitter era.

Later in the 1981 season, one which was marred by a 50-day MLB players’ strike, Barker pitched before 72, 0866 Indians fans in the 1981 All-Star Game, played at Cleveland’s Municipal Stadium. He tossed two scoreless innings in that game, his lone appearance in the Midsummer Classic.

With NDC Baseball, which was instituted in 2005, Barker will be an assistant coach.

“My motivation is to help and teach our young student-athletes and get Notre Dame to a championship,” Barker said.

The Falcons’ season started last weekend; NDC went 3-1 in a four-game series at Pikeville (Ky.). On Feb. 27, Notre Dame’s season continues in Winter Haven, Fla., where the team is slated to play a 10-game tournament schedule against colleges and universities from across the United States.

Barker, 54, resides in Geauga County. He and his family have lived in northeast Ohio since 1997.

Courtesy of Sports Information Director Skip Snow

Elyria’s Jack Sito just finished his college baseball career at Notre Dame College of Ohio with honors.

Sito was named to the All-American Mideast Conference Second Team, along with being named to the Scholar Athlete team for the second-straight season.

The left fielder hit .353 (59-for-167) with 17 doubles, five triples and five home runs on the season. Sito was a AMC First Team selection as a freshman (2006) and Honorable Mention All-AMC last year. He closed out his career with Notre Dame College's highest career slugging percentage (.577) along with the school's all-time leader in triples (12), home runs (17) and hits (163).

Sito, an accounting major, finished his collegiate career with an impressive 3.62 grade point average, to earn the Scholar Athlete honors.

Vermilion’s Mike Wilsey also finished his college career, playing in 44 games, including 42 starts. He batted .317 with 11 doubles, four home runs and 29 RBIs.

North Ridgeville’s Jon Harnish also finished his college career, going 2-4 with a 5.76 ERA on the mound. He appeared in 12 games and notched three starts. He pitched a complete game this season in one of his wins and logged 29 2/3 innings, while striking out 15.

His freshman brother Sean Harnish appeared in 12 games in relief. He pitched in 17 1/3 innings and struck out 12.

Avon’s Danny Yonkof also completed his college career, playing in 11 games, with nine starts. He batted .111 with a double.

NDC Baseball went 10-39 in 2009 and 4-28 in the AMC to finish in ninth place.

swalker@MorningJournal.com

ALLIANCE, Ohio - Elyria’s Jack Sito (bottom, pictured) and Vermilion’s Mike Wilsey (top) had three hits each and helped lead Notre Dame to an eight-run comeback Sunday, coming back from an 11-3 deficit to win, 13-11, at Mount Union.

Sito and Wilsey led an 18 hit-attack for the Falcons, who snapped a four-game skid and came back to win a day after being outscored and embarrassed by Point Park (Pa.), 39-6.

In the comeback, Notre Dame tallied 10 of their 13 runs over the eighth and ninth innings.

Notre Dame (8-36) was down 11-3 heading into the eighth before exploding for eight runs to tie the game at 11. The Falcons scored two runs in the top of the ninth to win, 13-11.

North Ridgeville’s Jon Harnish pitched a scoreless ninth to pick up the win.

Sito has started 39 games thus far and leads Notre Dame with a .348 batting average, 13 doubles, four triples, four home runs and is second in RBIs with 25. He has only struck out eight times in 146 plate appearances.

Wilsey has appeared in 37 games, including 35 starts and is third in batting with a .325 average. He also has eight doubles, four home runs and leads the team with 26 RBIs.

Other area athletes on the team are senior Danny Yonkof (Avon) and freshman Sean Harnish (North Ridgeville).

Sean has made 10 pitching appearances, while brother Jon has made eight, including a start.

Notre Dame Baseball announced earlier this week that Elyria’s Jon Koepf has signed a letter of intent to continue his baseball career at Notre Dame.

Koepf, a three-year starter, batted .400 last year and led the Pioneers in hits, runs and total bases - earning him All-Northeast Ohio Conference (River Division) First Team.

Notre Dame Baseball plays in the nine-team American Mideast Conference as an NAIA program. Last month, the College announced plans to file for membership in NCAA Division II.

swalker@MorningJournal.com