ChrisRusin

• 2009 Wallace Preseason Watch List
• 2008 First-Team All-SEC (coaches)
• 23rd round draft pick in 2008 (Athletics)

Outlook
One of the top returning seniors in college baseball … A 2008 first-team All-SEC selection, one of only three pitchers and two starters on the first team, as voted by the coaches … Did not get much support during his starts in SEC play, but still managed a 3.33 ERA and a 3.29 ERA in 10 SEC starts, including two complete games … A workhorse, tossed quality starts in 9-of-13 starts … Without an injury-riddled NCAA regional opening game at Michigan, Rusin finished with a 2.84 ERA in 82.1 innings … Has command that rivals anyone in the league, with a good fastball and excellent command of a breaking ball.

2008
Became UK’s first, first-team All-SEC pitcher since MLB setup man Scott Downs earned the honor in 1997 … One of a league-high four UK players named to the All-SEC first-team in 2008 and one of only two starting pitchers in the league on the first-team, joining Patrick Keating (Florida) and the best closer the nation, reliever Joshua Field (Georgia) … Posted a 3.33 ERA and a 6-3 record in 13 starts … Hurled quality starts in 9-of-13 assignments, going seven or more innings seven times in 2008… Worked 83.2 innings, striking out 65 and throwing two complete games … After helping UK clinch an SEC Tournament berth in his final regular season start vs. Ole Miss, Rusin experienced a minor injury that resulted in him not pitching in the SEC Tournament … After a week of rest, was asked to pitch in the opening game of the Ann Arbor NCAA Regional, but was not 100-percent and was pulled after 1.1 innings …Throw out the game vs. Michigan, which was the worst statistical outing of his career, and Rusin had a 2.84 ERA in 82.1 innings …Two of three losses on the season came when the lefty hurled two complete-game performances on the road in the SEC (at Auburn, at Vanderbilt) – two eight-inning complete games that saw Rusin strike out 18 and allow five runs … On the road in 2008, totaled a 2.63 ERA in 37 innings, striking out 33 in five starts … Worked seven inning of one-run ball in his first start, walking none and striking out four … In the second start of the year, Rusin worked seven scoreless, allowing only four hits and striking out nine … Struck out a career high 10 in a complete-game loss at Auburn, holding the Tigers to two runs and one walk … Worked 8.2 innings vs. South Carolina, striking out six, one out shy of the complete game …Tossed 7.2 innings vs. Tennessee, striking out six despite sitting out during a rain delay … Against LSU, worked 8.2 innings, where he allowed only one run and five hits.

2007
Promising young southpaw emerged as the top weekend starter on the staff … Started 14 games, accumulated a 4.90 ERA and a 5-4 record … Worked two complete games … Named SEC Pitcher of the Week after holding down the hot hitting No. 18 Ole Miss batters to six hits and one unearned run in a complete-game Friday night win … Began the season as the Saturday starter but moved to Friday night after the first weekend … First start of the season, worked five innings against Furman, struck out seven, gave up one earned run, and allowed three hits … Worked four or more innings in each of his 14 starts … Struck out a career-high nine batters in a 6 2/3 inning performance against Wisconsin Milwaukee …Took first loss of career in the SEC opener against No. 9 Arkansas … Struck out two or more in each appearance of the season … Dangerous left-handed pick off move caught a team-high five runners … First complete game of career came in front of over 3,000 hostile fans at Florida, where Rusin worked nine innings, struck out eight, and allowed only two runs … Followed up Florida performance with a 8 1/3 inning outing against Georgia, securing his fifth win of the season … Had a solid outing against Tennessee in the first game of a doubleheader, before the defense allowed two unearned runs, chasing him from the game in the fifth … Through first three starts, tallied a 2.70 ERA … With two outs, held opponents to a .229 (24-for-105) average … Forced 61 fly outs and 105 ground outs … Averaged a team-best 6.17 innings per outing … In the eight UK wins that Rusin started, the southpaw tallied a 5-0 record and a 2.50 ERA … Had a 6.41 ERA at home and a 3.15 ERA on the road, including a 4-1 record away from Cliff Hagan Stadium.

2006
Opened year as a mid-week starter before moving to the bullpen midway through the season … In five starts, recorded three wins en route to his spotless 5-0 record … Came on in relief to beat South Carolina and Mississippi State … Against the Gamecocks, retired all 10 batters he faced to close out an 11-inning victory … Streak got to 18 consecutive batters retired the next weekend … Did not allow a home run in 38 innings … Struck out five in back-to-back starts vs. Xavier and Morehead State … Appeared in seven SEC games in relief.

High School
Played three years for coach Tony Demare at Divine Child High School … Led team to back-to-back state championships in final two years while being named to the All-State Dream Team both times … Hurled shutouts in three consecutive Catholic Leauge championship games at Comerica Park from 2003-05 … Won the Catholic League Walt Bazylewicz Award as a senior as the league’s top male athlete in all sports … Named MVP of state all-star game after pitching three scoreless innings and driving in game-winning runs … Went 28-4 in career with all four losses by one run … Two of the losses came when he threw a one-hitter … As a junior, went 12-1 with a 1.05 earned-run average while striking out 88 in 69 2/3 innings … Went 7-1 with a 1.75 ERA en route to All-Catholic League honors … Also played basketball, earning all-city honors as a junior.

Personal
Full name is Christopher Patrick Rusin … Son of Pat and Arlene Rusin … Has a younger brother, Tyler (12), and a younger sister, Shannon (16) … Born on Oct. 22, 1986 in Detroit, Mich.