2008 Horizon League baseball tournament
| Teams | 7 |
|---|---|
| Format | Double-elimination |
| Finals site | |
| Champions | UIC (4th title) |
| Winning coach | Mike Dee (4th title) |
| MVP | Brett Shaefer (UIC) |
| Conf. | Overall | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Team | W | L | PCT | W | L | PCT | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| UIC ‡y | 17 | – | 6 | .739 | 35 | – | 22 | .614 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Wright State | 16 | – | 6 | .727 | 30 | – | 33 | .476 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Youngstown State | 13 | – | 12 | .520 | 23 | – | 33 | .411 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Cleveland State | 10 | – | 13 | .435 | 22 | – | 31 | .415 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Milwaukee | 11 | – | 15 | .423 | 25 | – | 36 | .410 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Valparaiso | 8 | – | 13 | .381 | 21 | – | 35 | .375 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Butler | 7 | – | 17 | .292 | 12 | – | 34 | .261 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ‡ – Tournament champion y – Invited to the NCAA Tournament As of May 30, 2008[1] Rankings from Collegiate Baseball | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
The 2008 Horizon League baseball tournament took place from May 20 through 25, near the close of the 2008 NCAA Division I baseball season. All seven of the league's teams met in the double-elimination tournament held at Eastwood Field in Niles, Ohio.[2] Top seeded UIC won their fourth Horizon League Championship, and second in a row, and earned the conference's automatic bid to the 2008 NCAA Division I baseball tournament.
Seeding and format
The league's seven teams are seeded one through seven based on winning percentage, using conference games only. The bottom two seeds play a single elimination opening round, with the winner advancing to the double-elimination rounds. The top two seeds receive a single bye.[1]
| Team | W | L | PCT | GB | Seed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| UIC | 17 | 6 | .739 | — | 1 |
| Wright State | 16 | 6 | .727 | 0.5 | 2 |
| Youngstown State | 13 | 12 | .520 | 5 | 3 |
| Cleveland State | 10 | 13 | .435 | 7 | 4 |
| Milwaukee | 11 | 15 | .423 | 7.5 | 5 |
| Valparaiso | 8 | 13 | .381 | 8 | 6 |
| Butler | 7 | 17 | .292 | 10.5 | 7 |
Results
Opening round
| Team | R |
|---|---|
| (7) Butler | 5 |
| (6) Valparaiso | 6 |
Double-elimination rounds
| Upper round 1 | Upper round 2 | Upper final | Final | |||||||||||||||||||||
| 1 | UIC | 8 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| 4 | Cleveland State | 7 | 6 | Valparaiso | 5 | |||||||||||||||||||
| 5 | Milwaukee | 10 14 | 1 | UIC | 7 | |||||||||||||||||||
| 5 | Milwaukee | 5 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2 | Wright State | 3 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| 3 | Youngstown State | 2 | 5 | Milwaukee | 20 | |||||||||||||||||||
| 6 | Valparaiso | 3 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1 | UIC | 2 | 16 | |||||||||||||||||||||
| 5 | Milwaukee | 7 | 3 | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Lower round 1 | Lower round 2 | Lower round 3 | Lower final | |||||||||||||||||||||
| 5 | Milwaukee | 8 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| 6 | Valparaiso | 13 | 6 | Valparaiso | 3 | |||||||||||||||||||
| 2 | Wright State | 7 | 2 | Wright State | 4 | |||||||||||||||||||
| 4 | Cleveland State | 10 | 4 | Cleveland State | 4 | |||||||||||||||||||
| 3 | Youngstown State | 4 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
All-Tournament Team
The following players were named to the All-Tournament Team.[3]
| POS | Name | School |
|---|---|---|
| P | Peter Ifft | UIC |
| Ben McClarey | Milwaukee | |
| C | Kevin Coddington | UIC |
| 1B | Brett Schaefer | UIC |
| 2B | Jesse Hart | Milwaukee |
| 3B | Josh Wallace | Valparaiso |
| SS | Brett Bivens | Valparaiso |
| OF | Dan DeBruin | Valparaiso |
| Troy Vesling | Milwaukee | |
| Steve McGuiggan | UIC | |
| DH | Shawn Wozniak | Milwaukee |
Most Valuable Player
Brett Schaefer was named Most Valuable Player of the Tournament. Schaefer was a first baseman for UIC who finished 11 for 15 with 7 RBI for the tournament, including 5 for 5 in the final.[3][2]
References
- 1 2 2018 Baseball Record Book (PDF). Horizon League. p. 145. Retrieved December 9, 2025.
- 1 2 "UIC Wins 2008 Horizon League Baseball Championship". UIC Flames. May 25, 2008. Retrieved December 9, 2025.
- 1 2 2018 Baseball Record Book (PDF). Horizon League. p. 15. Retrieved December 9, 2025.