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P I O N E E R
Scorebook
AT H L E T I C N E W S
COURTESY OF NCAA
DAN MAY
> CHANGING MOMENTS
The celebration of the NCAA
Division III title was a moment
for the Pioneers that especially
changed the lives of Mike Eisenberg
(above) and Mike DeMark
’06 who signed professional
contracts in June.
> BASEBALL
Making “The Show”
EISENBERG’S LIFE ALTERED AFTER 2006 TITLE
When the final out of the 2006 NCAA Division III
World Series was secured in right fielder Tony
Piconke’s glove, it changed the lives of all of
the Pioneers involved. No one’s life has been
altered more than junior pitcher Mike Eisenberg, who soon
after was faced with a decision about joining the pros.
Eisenberg received a trophy case full of awards this past
season. The lanky, hard-throwing right-hander was named
Co-MVP of the World Series, first team All-OAC, first team
All-Region, Mideast Region Pitcher of the Year, NCAA D-III
National Pitcher of the Year and a first team All-American.
He was also named to the All-OAC Tournament, All-Mideast
Region Tournament and World Series All-Tournament teams.
Eisenberg finished the season with a 13-2 record, which
tied him for most victories in D-III. On the year, he made 21
appearances, started 16 games and worked 115 innings.
Eisenberg allowed just 28 runs (17 earned for a 1.33 earned
run average) on 70 hits, while walking 35 and striking out 138.
The 138 strikeouts tied him with 2003 graduate Matt DeSalvo
for third on MC’s all-time list.
Like the rest of his teammates, Eisenberg returned to
Marietta to celebrate the squad’s accomplishment. Once
the celebration finally died down, the team began to go its
separate ways for the summer. Eisenberg, however, did not
head to his mother’s house in Coral Gables, Fla., but instead
remained in Marietta.
Throughout the season, Eisenberg had two types of followers
– loyal MC baseball fans and a handful of professional
scouts who carefully monitored his every start. Eisenberg
heard the rumors about the possibility of him being drafted
this summer, but kept it in perspective. “I tried to keep my
head on straight by understanding that the draft is always
unpredictable,” he recalls. “So I waited and waited for the
day to arrive.”
That day was June 6. When it finally arrived, Eisenberg
was joined by good friends and teammates Justin Steranka
and Ryan Eschbaugh, as well as Eschbaugh’s dad, sitting
anxiously by the Eschbaugh’s garage with the XM Radio in
his dad’s car blasting the broadcast of the Major League
Baseball draft.
“It felt like forever,” Eisenberg says. “But finally in the eighth
round we heard my name called out and immediately were
filled with excitement over what had just happened. It was so
unthinkable, but actually happened. Now was the hard part.”
The Cleveland Indians selected Eisenberg with the 251st
pick of the draft; he was the highest drafted D-III player. He
became the first Pioneer drafted since Dave Bradley was a
14th round pick by the Cincinnati Reds in 1999. The news
forced Eisenberg to decide whether he would sign with the
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