Righty dominated as both a starter and closer between 1981 through '83
WILLIMANTIC, Conn. - One of only three pitchers in Eastern Connecticut State University baseball history to make his mark as both a dominant starter and closer, Jeff Brewer has been selected for induction into the University's E-Club Hall of Fame. The announcement was made by committee co-chairmen Dr. David G. Yeo and Scott Smith.
The 6-foot-4 inch 220 pound righty won 16 games in 26 career starts and chalked up 12 more victories and added eight saves in 34 appearances out of the bullpen in a three-year career between 1981 and 1983 that produced a 28-11 pitching record with 247 strikeouts and a 3.55 ERA in 266 2/3 innings.
In each of his three years, the Rutland, VT native helped lift the Warriors into the NCAA Division III tournament. Eastern reached the regional championship round in each of those years, winning two regional crowns and the program's first national championship in 1982. The Warriors won 104, lost 35 and tied one in three years for a winning percentage of .748.
The 16th E-Club Hall of Fame Ceremony and Social Hour is scheduled for Sunday, Oct. 25 at noon at the Betty R. Tipton Room in the Student Center.
Brewer pitched in 13 of the team's 19 post-season tournament games in his career, winning six games and saving two of the team's 14 victories. In 1983, he was named MVP of the Northeast Regional Tournament, coming out of the bullpen to win two of the team's three games and save another as the Warriors won back-to-back regional titles for the first time in program history.
In one span of 23 appearances during his career, Brewer won 15 games and saved two without a loss. For Brewer, eight of his 11 career losses came against Division I, II or NAIA opponents. He was 12-1 against Division III competition in three years.
As a freshman in 1981, Brewer tossed the first nine-inning no-hitter in program history, facing only two batters over the minimum with a career-high 13 strikeout (later equaled), three-walk performance against Western Connecticut State University at the old Alumni Field. After losing a relief decision against Division II Quinnipiac University in his sixth collegiate appearance, Brewer did not absorb another loss until the final regular-season game of 1982.
In 1981, Brewer set program freshman records for wins (11) and innings (81.3), and also led the staff in ERA (1.77), and was second or tied for second in three additional categories. He led all freshmen in Division III that year in wins and ERA, ranking in a tie for fourth nationally in wins and seventh in ERA.
As a junior, Brewer led the staff in virtually every pitching category, among them strikeouts (104), innings (99 1/3), ERA (5.35), and a program-record (to that point) five saves. By appearing in 25 of the team's 48 games that year (one shy of the season record), Brewer became the first pitcher in program history to appear in 20 or more games in successive seasons (only two others have done it since).
On the 1982 national championship team, Brewer won nine, lost two and saved three, with 78 strikeouts and a 3.26 ERA in 85 2/3 innings. He saved one game in the regionals that year and came on in relief to gain victories in one-run elimination-round wins over North Carolina Wesleyan and California-Stanislaus.
In a limited role, Brewer also made a number of timely offensive contributions. In 69 at-bats in 1982 and 1983 primarily as a pinch-hitter, he batted .377 with 23 RBI and a .725 slugging percentage. In addition to gaining the pitching win with 3 1/3 shutout innings in a 6-5, 10-inning win against Ithaca College in the 1983 regional championship game, Brewer helped the Warriors back from a 5-0 deficit by driving in a run and scoring a run in a four-run seventh inning, and then tying the game in the eighth with a ground ball that drove in 2008 E-Club Hall of Famer Stan Harris. As the starting DH in the regional-opening, 11-10 win over Worcester State, Brewer scored twice after doubling and singling.
A two-time first-team All-New England selection, Brewer was named third-team All-America as a sophomore in 1982.
The only other pitchers in program history to carve out measurable career success in both starting and closing roles are John Caneira '74 and Joey Serfass '04. In four-year careers, Caneira won 37 games and saved nine and Serfass won 34 and saved seven.
In the summer following the 1982 national title, Brewer pitched a complete-game four-hitter for Chatham in the championship game of the Cape Cod Baseball League playoffs. The following June, he was drafted in the tenth round of the First-Year Player Draft by the Chicago Cubs - becoming the program's highest-drafted right-handed pitcher in the regular phase of the draft until 1998.
Previously announced as a 2009 Hall of Fame selection was New London native Tammy Schondelmayer. Schondelmayer was a four-year softball starter at shortstop between 1986 and 1989 who played on four straight regional championship teams, including the 1986 national championship club as a freshman.
Since its establishment in 1986, the Eastern/E-Club Hall of Fame has enshrined a total of 85 former athletes, coaches and administrators and has also recognized the contributions of 13 "friends" with the Michael A. Atkind Exceptional Service Award and has honored 20 individuals as "Pioneers" for their efforts in helping to establish the tradition of the Eastern athletic program.
Tickets are priced at $45 and must be reserved in advance by contacting Dr. David G. Yeo at 860-465-5166 or at yeo@easternct.edu or Scott Smith at 860-465-4326 or at smithsc@easternct.edu.
