July 18, 2008

University of Dayton relief pitcher Burny Mitchem was selected to the 2008 All Ping! Freshman Second Team following a rookie season that saw him lead the Flyer bullpen in nearly every statistical category. The national honor was announced just before Mitchem joined his Flyer teammate Jacob Spaeth in the Great Lakes Summer Collegiate League All-Star game on July 16.

Mitchem was named to the Atlantic 10 All-Rookie team in 2008 after a freshman season where he tied for the team lead with five wins, which all came against Atlantic 10 opponents. The Farmington, Michigan native also led the UD pitching staff with four saves and a 2.06 ERA while making in a UD freshman record 22 appearances. The 6-6 right-hander struck out 61 batters in 39.1 innings pitched while holding opponents to a .242 batting average.

Spaeth appeared in all 56 games for UD, and started 51 at both the second base and the outfield. He hit .258 with 27 RBI and led the team by going a perfect 11-for-11 in stolen base attempts. He also led the team in fielding percentage .994 and was named the team's Best Practice Player.

Mitchem was chosen as the starting pitcher for the All-Star "Blue" team on Wednesday and threw a scoreless first inning with two strikeouts and one walk while facing just four batters. Spaeth also played for the Blue team entering lineup in left field during the fifth inning. He had just one plate appearance hitting a hard ground ball that went off of the first baseman before being fielded by the second baseman who threw to first in time to retire Spaeth.

Dayton had a 31-25 overall record in 2008 to finish seventh in the 14-team Atlantic 10 Conference. UD posted its fifth 30-win season in program history, which have all come since 2001 under the direction of head coach Tony Vittorio. The Flyer pitching staff was one of the best overall in the nation with a 4.24 ERA that led the A-10 and was 31st in Division I.