Eastern Illinois University Athletics

2008: Facer started 49 times, seeing action at pitcher, first base and designated hitter… started 11 games on the mound, including the regular-season and OVC openers and the OVC Tournament championship game… also pitched in relief three times… started a team-high 32 times at first base… was the DH throughout the postseason… delivered the game-winning hit in two notable victories: a two-run homer in the 11th inning at Illinois State and a walk-off, two-run single in the ninth inning of the rubber game of the Southeast Missouri series… led the team with six home runs and ranked second among the regulars in on-base percentage… batted .323 while collecting 19 of his 28 RBIs in OVC play… reached safely to begin an inning 45 percent of the time (14-of-31)… collected 14 of his 28 RBIs with two outs… batted .300 (12-for-40) with 14 RBIs and 11 walks to only six strikeouts at home… went 2-0 with a 3.48 ERA and .225 batting average against in his four neutral-site appearances on the mound… batted .340 (16-for-47) with three home runs and 10 RBIs in April… collected 14 RBIs and 15 walks in May… won both of his starts (vs. IPFW and Bucknell) during the spring break trip… walked a team-high seven times during the postseason while also collecting four RBIs and scoring four times… walked at least once in all six postseason contests while also driving in a run in four of the six… hit big home runs early in series-opening wins against Tennessee-Martin and Murray State… also went deep in the second inning of the OVC Tournament victory over Samford… collected a season-high four RBIs in the series finale against UTM and SEMO, both EIU victories… hit safely in six straight games in mid-April… hit a solo home run and pitched of scoreless relief in the midweek game against nationally-ranked Missouri… teamed with Zach Skidmore for back-to-back home runs at Indiana State… delivered three run-scoring hits in the must-win, regular-season finale at Eastern Kentucky, highlighted by a two-out, first-inning double that led to a five-run rally… scored the game-tying run from first base on a two-out double by Richie Derbak in the sixth inning of the OVC Tournament win against Samford… plated the game-tying run in the seventh inning of the NCAA Regional game Oral Roberts with a sacrifice fly… gave up just one earned run over eight innings in IPFW victory… pitched seven innings against Bucknell to earn another victory in the finale of the spring break trip… struck out eight over 5 1/3 innings against Morehead State in the home and OVC opener… was solid in both of his starts against Southeast Missouri, working 4 1/3 innings to earn a win in game two of the regular-season doubleheader and 4 2/3 innings in the OVC Tournament title game to set the stage for the EIU victory… retired the first nine batters he faced and did not give up a hit until the fifth against SEMO in Paducah.

PREVIOUS COLLEGE: Facer was a member of the University of Evansville’s baseball team during the 2007 season, collecting 20 RBIs in 89 at-bats… he also pitched in 17 games, posting a 2-0 record and striking out 30 in 35 1/3 innings.

JUNIOR COLLEGE: Before transferring to Evansville, he played for coach Mitch Rosenthall, an EIU alum, at Parkland College in Champaign… helped lead Parkland to the NJCAA Division II World Series as a Third Team All-American… also earned First Team All-Mid-West Athletic Conference and all-region honors… his last summer league team of note was the LaCrosse Loggers of the Northwoods League.

PERSONAL: No. 1 sports highlight was accidentally running to third base instead of first in his first tee-ball game… his father has been a major influence on his sports career… most admires St. Louis Cardinals pitcher-turned-outfielder Rick Ankiel… his brother Thorpe, Jr. played baseball at Waubonsee Junior College… son of Thorpe and Kim Facer... MAJOR: Psychology.