SPORTS
INSIDE BGSU
FALCON CLUB
FAN ZONE
TICKETS
STORE
BGSU
Staff Directory Rick Blanc Associate Head Baseball Coach (Pitchers/Recruiting) Phone: 419-372-7095 Email:
[email protected] Year Started at BGSU: 2007
E X P A N D
Rick Blanc enters his 10th season as an associate head coach at his alma mater. Blanc, who has been an integral part of the Falcons’ success since returning to campus in October 2007, serves as the Falcons pitching coach and recruiting coordinator. A native of Sylvania, Ohio, Blanc played for the Falcons in 1997 and 1998. In just 11 seasons as a coach and player, Blanc has been a part of four MAC championships and two trips to the NCAA Tournament. In 1998, Blanc and the Falcons won the Mid-American Conference Tournament, advancing to the NCAA Regional in Coral Gables, Fla. Rick Blanc After a stint as an assistant coach at Longwood (Va.) University, Blanc returned to Bowling Green for the 2008 season. Upon his return to campus, the Falcons would find an unprecedented streak of success. From 2008 to 2010, the Falcons would win two MAC regular season championships and three East Division crowns. Known as an excellent recruiter and an even better pitching mind, Blanc has been instrumental in landing some of the top classes in the baseball-rich region of the Midwest. In 2010, Blanc brought in the top recruiting class in the Mid-American Conference, as well as a top class in the Midwest according to Baseball America. Once again in 2011, the Falcons were recognized as one of the top classes in the MAC, as well as the Midwest, by Baseball America. Over the last few seasons, Blanc has landed several top recruits from the Midwest including Cody Callaway (2014 Cleveland Indians draft pick), Blake Jenkins (2014 Louisville Slugger All American), and recently Jake Wilson (2016 Boston Red Sox draft pick). The Falcons have flourished under Blanc’s watch. 2015 perhaps saw some of Blanc’s most impressive work with a Falcon pitching staff in recent memory. After losing two weekend rotation arms prior to the season, Blanc developed several key cogs in the rotation. After landing Zac Carey on the recruiting trails, Blanc’s work didn’t stop with the London, Ohio native. Carey, who began the season 0-3 on the mound, turned into the MAC Freshman Pitcher of the Year under Blanc’s development. Carey finished the season 7-3, going 7-0 over his final 10 starts with a 2.40 ERA. Carey also earned second team All-MAC honors in 2015, the first Falcon pitcher to land on the All-MAC teams since the 2009 campaign. Even more impressive can sometimes be Blanc’s work with under-the-radar pitchers. Tony Landi, after starting his career as a walk-on with the Falcons, tied the school record for single-season saves in 2016 with eight. Landi went 1-1 in 2016 and posted a 3.48 ERA. Also in 2016, Devin Daugherty turned in one of the best seasons as a relief pitcher in program history. He broke the program record for single-season appearances with 30, notched two saves, and went 4-2 with 51 strikeouts. Newcomer C.J. Schildt emerged as the Friday starter, and turned in a really solid year, as he posted a 3.07 ERA with 40 strike outs. Freshman Brad Croy won two games, was effective over 36.1 innings, and registered a 4.95 ERA. In just five short seasons, Falcon pitchers shaved nearly four points off their ERA, improving from a 7.62 team ERA in 2009 to a 3.83 ERA in 2013. The Falcons’ earned run average in 2013 was the lowest for a Falcon pitching staff since 1979. In his first year as an assistant coach at Bowling Green, the Falcons would win the MAC championship, earning the top seed for the Mid-American Conference Tournament. The following season, the Falcons would replicate that, behind strong pitching and offense. The 2009 squad featured MAC Pitcher of the Year, Brennan Smith, along with second team All-MAC pitcher Matt Malewitz. Following both the 2010 and 2011 seasons, Blanc’s hard work would be rewarded through the MLB First Year Player Draft. Junior Brennan Smith was selected by the Detroit Tigers in the 33rd round of the 2010 draft. The following season, junior Ross Gerdeman’s name was called in the 35th round by the Arizona Diamondbacks. In 2012, Blanc led a depleted pitching staff to an ERA at 5.08, with two starters being lost to injury. 2013 marked perhaps the most remarkable pitching performance in Bowling Green State University baseball history. The team would finish with an ERA of 3.83, advancing to the NCAA Tournament by virtue of winning the MAC Tournament. Blanc’s pitching staff was outstanding throughout the season, having to withstand 107 defensive errors. Numerous individual pitching marks were set during 2013, a testament to Blanc’s hard work with the pitchers. Ethan McKenney became the first Falcon pitcher since 1997 to post an ERA under 2.00, finishing the season with a 1.99 earned run average in 49.2 innings. McKenney’s 2013 performance came on the heels of a 2012 season in which he struggled to a 1-9 record as the Saturday starter. Two starting pitchers—Mike Frank and Cody Apthorpe—also exceeded expectations in 2013. Frank finished the season with 102.1 innings pitched, second most in school history for a single season. Frank also finished with 80 strikeouts on the season. Apthorpe, on the other hand, continues to personify consistency. Becoming the first Falcon pitcher since 1999 to make 17 starts, the junior captain finished with a 5-5 record. Apthorpe’s most impressive performance of the season came in an elimination game in the MAC Tournament, where he went seven scoreless innings against arch-rival Toledo on just two days rest. Perhaps the biggest development came in closer Nick Bruns, who was converted from a starter following the 2011 season. Over his final two seasons, Bruns compiled a 9-5 record with 12 saves in 55 appearances. In 2013, Bruns was 6-2 with six saves. In the 2013 MAC Tournament championship game, Bruns was pressed into starting duty. Making his third appearance of the tournament, Bruns would proceed to pitch a complete-game, four-hit shutout. Bruns was named MAC Tournament MVP and National Pitcher of the Week for his efforts, going 2-0 with one save in the tournament. In 2014, Bowling Green’s pitching staff saw several notable performances. On top of finishing with a 4.68 ERA, junior Jason Link finished with a 1.70 ERA in 37.0 IP, the fourth-lowest in school history. Redshirt freshman Andrew Lacinak also stood out, leading the staff with six wins and a 3.24 ERA in 77.2 IP. Prior to returning to Bowling Green, Blanc spent four seasons as the pitching coach and recruiting coordinator at Longwood University (2004-07). Blanc’s pitching staff at Longwood in 2007 finished the season ranked 18th in Division I, with an ERA of 3.53. Prior to coaching at Longwood, Blanc served as pitching coach for the Chillicothe Paints of the Independent Frontier League where he played from 19982002. Other coaching experiences for Blanc include stops at Adrian (Mich.) College (2001-02) and Sylvania (Ohio) Southview High School (1998-2003). Blanc earned his bachelors of Science degree in technology from BGSU in 1998. He and his wife, Jessica, were married in July of 2009. The Blanc’s have two daughters, Georgia (May 2013) and Kelsey (April 2015). Return to Staff
Privacy Policy
F U L L S T A F F
Terms of Service