Petree, who was named Louisville Slugger National Player of the Year by Collegiate Baseball last year, went 10-4 with a Division I-best 1.01 ERA and 114 strikeouts in 115.1 innings pitched in 2012 to lead a dominant Bears' pitching staff that currently led the nation in team ERA (2.57) and shutouts (11), while ranking third in Division I with a school-record 537 strikeouts on the season. The right-hander was a first-team All-America pick of the NCBWA, Baseball America, Collegiate Baseball and CollegeBaseballInsider.com. Petree also became the first Bear to earn a District Player of the Year citation in the 13 years the NCBWA has awarded the honor, and the Clinton, Mo., product was named a semifinalist for USA Baseball's Golden Spikes Award.
The 2012 Missouri Valley Conference Pitcher of the Year, Petree turned in the nation's longest scoreless-inning streak in 2012, working a Missouri State-record 38.1 consecutive shutout frames from April 6-May 17, as well as 73.0 straight innings without giving up an earned run (March 2-May 17). Petree's 1.01 earned run average led Division I and he paced the MVC in victories after becoming just the seventh pitcher in school history to surpass the 100-strikeout plateau in a season, ranking 16th nationally and third on MSU's single-season strikeout list.
Burgess went 5-2 with a 2.08 ERA and 11 saves to lead the Bears' relief corps, notching a victory or a save in each of his first seven appearances without allowing an earned run to earn First-Team All-MVC honors and NCBWA National Stopper of the Year consideration. The Webb City, Mo., product served as the linchpin of the Bears' bullpen throughout his freshman season, setting unprecedented standards for MSU rookie pitchers in the process while ranking second in the Valley and 30th nationally in saves. Burgess surpassed fellow Bear Grant Gordon's freshman MSU saves record, finishing the campaign third on the Bears' single-season saves list, trailing only Dan Kickham (2011) and Shaun Marcum (2003), who share the school record with 13 saves.
A Freshman All-America choice of both Collegiate Baseball and the NCBWA, Burgess became just the fifth Bear to earn MVC Freshman of the Year honors, joining Ryan Howard (1999), Bob Zimmerman (2001), Brett Sinkbeil (2004), Kevin Medrano (2009) and Petree (2011) on an exclusive list that now includes four Major League Baseball draftees, as well as a national collegiate player of the year honoree.
Coming off a 40-22 season and their first NCAA Regional appearance since 2003, the Bears will open the 2013 campaign Feb. 15 against host Texas State at the Bobcat Invitational in San Marcos, Texas. Season tickets for the 2013 campaign are on sale now through the MSU Athletics Box Office and may be obtained in person at the Chevy Pickup Window at JQH Arena, or by calling (417) 836-7678 or (417) 836-3302.
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