Completed Event: Baseball at Georgia Southern on May 2, 2025 , Win , 11, to, 1
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Final
James Madison
11
at Georgia Southern
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James Madison University | Official Athletics Site
2005 Baseball Roster
Roster
Kulbacki, Kellen
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Jersey Number 5
Kellen Kulbacki
- Position:
- Outfield
- Height:
- 6-0
- Weight:
- 190
- Class:
- Freshman
- Hometown:
- Palmyra, Pa.
- High School:
- Hershey
Bio
As a junior:
- Third-highest draft pick in JMU history, picked 40th overall in supplemental first round by San Diego in MLB draft
- One of 16 semifinalists for Dick Howser Trophy
- Semifinalist for USA Baseball Golden Spikes
- One of 30 candidates for Brooks Wallace Award
- First Team All-American by Baseball America, Rivals.com, Ping!Baseball, and NCBWA
- Second Team All-American by Collegiate Baseball and ABCA
- ABCA First Team All-Region
- CAA Co-Player of the Year and First Team All-CAA
- ECAC Division I All-Star
- JMU Athletic Director Scholar Athlete
- Led CAA in on-base percentage (.538), slugging (.785), and walks
- JMU career record-holder in HR (51), extra-base hits (105), and slugging (.755)
- Ranks second in career average (.400), 10th in hits (238), 10th in doubles (50), 11th in RBIs (158), second in total bases (449), and fifth in hit by pitches (25)
- Hit, two runs, and four walks to set JMU season record (56) in season finale at Delaware
- 3-for-3 with two runs, two RBIs, and 19th home run in final home at bat at JMU vs GWU
- 2-for-4 with solo HR in 1-0 win in GSU finale
- Scored three runs and walked four times in series opener versus Georgia State
- Had two hits and two walks against Virginia Tech
- Went 3-for-4 with three runs scored, two RBIs and a home run in series finale versus Hofstra
- It was his 17th home of the season making him the leader in the CAA at the time
- Hit his 16th home run of the season, driving in three and scoring once, in middle game of the Hofstra series
- Scored three times and drew a JMU school record five walks in series opener versus Hofstra
- Hit a home run and scored twice in game against Liberty
- Named "Louisville Slugger" National Player of the Week, by Collegiate Baseball magazine, and Pro-Line Athletic National Hitter of the Week honor by the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association for his play during the week of 4/9/07-4/15/07
- Also named CAA Player of the Week, which includes games against Longwood, George Washington and George Mason
- Went 11-for-16 (.687) with 10 runs scored, 11 RBIs, three doubles, four home runs and fie walks in the four games
- Went 3-for-4 with two home runs, two runs scored and four RBIs in the series opener versus George Mason
- It was his third multi-hr game of the season
- Set season-highs and matched career-highs in runs, hits, and RBIs against George Washington
- Reached base safely in six of seven at bats, going 4-for-5 with a three-run home run, two doubles, two walks, five RBIs, and four runs scored
- The home run increased his school career record to 44
- The nine total bases pushed him into sixth all-time with 401 career total bases
- The two-extra base hits moved him within two of JMU's all-time record of 97
- Went 2-for-4 with his 11th home run of the season, a double, two RBIs and a run scored against Longwood
- Had two hits and a walk versus Radford
- Broke school record for home runs with his 42nd in the sixth inning of the finale game versus UNCW
- Went 2-for-4 in the game with one run and two RBIs
- Had two hits in second game against UNCW
- Went 1-for-3 with a home run, a walk, two runs scored and an RBI in series opener versus UNCW
- Home run was 41st of his career, which tied him for first on JMU's all-time list with former teammate Michael Cowgill (2003-06)
- Went 2-for-3 with a run scored, a walk, and a stolen base against Richmond
- 3-for-3 with four RBIs and his eighth home run of the season versus Virginia Tech
- Went 2-for-4 with two runs, three RBIs and two home runs in second W&M game
- Scored two runs in first W&M game
- Hit his fifth home run of the season and 37th of his career in first VCU
- This home run moved him alone into second place all-time on the career home run list
- Went 2-for-4 with two runs and two RBIs
- Two hits included his seventh double and fourth home run of the season
- Home run tied him with Eddie Kim (2000-03) and Lorenzo Bundy (1978-81) for second place on JMU's all-time career list
- Had two hits in second ODU game
- Went 3-for-4 in first ODU game
- Had one run, one RBI and two doubles
- Drew first two walks of the season versus Longwood
- Named Most Outstanding Player of Buckeye Classic in Tampa, Fla
- Went 10-for-16 with three home runs, two doubles, seven RBIs, and 21 total bases for a 1.313 slugging percentage in the four-game tournament
- Also named to the All-Tournament team and CAA Player of the Week
- Went 3-for-4 with two runs, two RBIs, and two home runs in game against Kansas State
- Had two his with a double and an RBI in second Seton Hall game
- Went 2-for-5 with a double in first Seton Hall game
- Went 3-for-3 with one run and four RBIs, including a home run, in season opener versus Ohio State.
As a sophomore:
- Collegiate Baseball/Louisville Slugger National Co-Player of the Year
- VaSID State Player of the Year
- CAA Player of the Year and All-CAA first team
- CSTV Player of the Year candidate
- NCBWA District IV Player of the Year
- Finalist for Dick Howser and Brooks Wallace National Player of the Year
- Named first team All-America by Baseball America, Collegiate Baseball Newspaper, National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association, College Baseball Foundation, American Baseball Coaches Association, and Rivals.com
- ABCA All-East and VaSID All-State first team
- Sports Illustrated "Faces in the Crowd"
- National Division I leader in home runs (24) and slugging percentage (.943)
- Second in batting average (.464) and fourth in RBI per game (1.28)
- Set CAA records for batting average, slugging percentage, on-base percentage (.568), and home runs (tied)
- Set JMU record for extra base hits (43), total bases (183), and RBIs (75-tied)
- Won JMU's Billy Sample MVP Award
- Reached base on a walk in season ending loss to VCU
- Went 1-for-2 with a run scored and two walks in the Dukes 10-9 loss to UNCW
- Went 2-for-4, including NCAA leading 24th home run, with two RBIs and a run scored against Northeastern in second round tournament play
- Went 1-for-4 with a walk against Georgia State to open CAA tournament play
- 5-for-12 with a homer and five RBIs in UNCW series
- 5-for-12 with a homer and four RBIs in Towson series
- Went 3-for-5 in final game against Georgia State including his 21st homer and 16th double of the season
- Returned to the lineup in game two against Georgia State after a six-game absence going 2-for-2 with a double, two RBIs, a run, and an intentional walk
- Tweaked his right oblique muscle in second at bat versus Richmond at home
- Went 7-for-12 in George Mason series
- Hit his 18th, 19th, and 20th home runs of season, all in game two, to break the school record for home runs in a single season, and tie record for home runs in a game
- Went 4-for-4 with all singles at Maryland
- Went 4-for-4, scoring two runs and driving in three in final game at Northeastern including his 17th home run
- Also topped 50 RBIs in that game
- Went 2-for-4 from the plate with a double and his 16th homer against Radford
- Had his hitting streak broken in game three versus Old Dominion at 24 games
- Was 51-for-92 in the streak for a .554 average
- Hit a double in game two to keep hitting streak alive
- Went 2-for-3 in game one versus ODU
- Went 3-for-5 with four RBIs including his 14th and 15th home runs in game two at Marshall
- Singled in first game against Marshall to extend hitting streak to 21 games
- Went 3-for-3 including league-leading 13th home run of the season in the seventh in game one versus VCU
- Hit his 12th home run, against Maryland
- Named to the Pro-Line Cap National Hitter of the Week by the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association as well as the CAA baseball player of the week, for the second time of the season after the Delaware series that ended March 19
- Was 14-for-19 with four homers and 12 RBIs for the week
- In game three versus Delaware went 4-for-5, including a two-run home run
- Had the game-winning single in the bottom of the ninth in game two versus Delaware
- Overall in the Delaware series was 9-for-13
- Went 4-for-4 with a pair of home runs and driving in five in game one vs. UD
- Extended his hitting streak to new career-best 13 in the final game versus Virginia Tech going 1-for-2
- Went 4-for-4 in the first Virginia Tech game including a two-run homer, also tied his career high hitting streak of 12
- Went 4-for-11 in series at William & Mary with two homers, six RBI and scoring five runs
- Two-run homer snapped 3-3 tie in the finale
- Hit .556 in the Dukes' first home stand
- Capped a six-run outburst in seventh inning of first Longwood game with a two-run single
- Went 7-for-11 against Wagner with two home runs and seven RBIs
- Was the CAA Player of the week Feb 28 after blistering Fairfield pitching by going 9-for-11 with three homers and 11 RBIs
- Homered twice in the final game of that series
- Went 2-for-6 with a triple, walk, was hit by a pitch and stole a base in the Clemson series
- His triple was down the line in right and started the JMU ninth in game one at Clemson
- He would later score the Dukes' first run of the season
- Played for the Cotuit Kettlers of the Cape Cod Baseball League during the 2006 summer
- Tied for fourth in the league with seven home runs
- Batted .240 with 24 runs, 36 hits, six doubles, seven home runs, and 18 RBIs in 41 games
- Team finished with the best regular season record at 27-16-1.
As a freshman:
- Colonial Athletic Association All-Rookie Team
- Earned JMU's Kevin Nehring Rookie of the Year Award
- Went on to win MVP honors of the Clark-Griffith League for coach and former Duke Greg Miller and the Herndon Braves
- Set a CGL record with 20 doubles and came one shy of tying the league's records for hits with 60 and RBIs with 40
- Set a JMU freshman record for hits, at bats and doubles
- 2-for-4 in second Virginia game
- 1-for-4 with an RBI in final Delaware game
- 2-for-3 with a walk and run scored in Hofstra series opener
- Also threw out a runner at the plate in a crucial eighth-inning play
- 2-for-4 in final UNCW game
- 2-for-4 and set JMU freshman record with his 18th double, plating a run in the process, in first UNCW game
- 1-for-4 with an RBI and two runs in TU finale
- 2-for-5 with a double and homer in Towson opener, extending his hitting streak to a team-season-best 12 games
- 2-for-3, two-RBI, solo homer day versus Richmond
- DH and went 2-for-4 with an RBI at Longwood
- 2-for-5 as a DH in final game of the W&M series
- Netted three hits and two RBI in the first game of W&M series
- Also twisted right ankle after making a catch and crashing into the fence in W&M opener, then sat out game two
- Had a 3-for-4 day with a double, homer and three RBI in 5-1 win at Richmond
- 1-for-3 with a run scored and RBI in 3-2 win against Radford
- Named April 11 CAA Rookie of the Week after 10-for-20, three-double, two-homer week
- 3-for-4 with a double and fifth homer of the season in series finale at ODU
- 2-for-3 with his 12th double of the season in second ODU game after a 1-for-4 showing in game one
- With a double cracked his fourth homer as part of a 2-for-6 outing at Radford
- Rapped a pair of singles and scored twice at home against Longwood
- 2-for-3 with two RBI in final game of VCU series
- Broke into double-digit doubles with two in the first Penn State game
- Had three hits in that game
- Rapped out a career-best four hits in the Ohio game
- Cracked his third homer in Wagner finale, going 2-for-5 with two RBI
- Popped his second homer of the season and got the Dukes on the board in first Wagner game
- Went 2-for-2 that game
- 2-for-4 with an double and RBI single in first Maryland game
- Doubled in one run and scored two in Kent State finale
- The double was a team-leading sixth
- Two hits and an RBI in second KSU game
- Collected three hits for the first time of his career in first Kent State game
- Rapped out a pair of doubles in Western Carolina contest
- Two of those hits were RBI doubles
- Doubled and homered in his first JMU game, on opening day against GWU.
Before JMU:
- Named the Keystone Division Player of the Year as a senior at Hershey
- Batted .493 with four home runs among his 35 hits and drove in 22 runs
- Reached base at a .549 clip, had a .944 slugging percentage with 14 doubles and three triples
- And stole nine bases on as many attempts
- As the team's captain, led the Trojans to a District III tournament berth
- As a junior hit .379 with four homers and 14 RBI
- Had a career-high 14 stolen bases on as many tries as a junior
- Led Mid-Penn Conference with 10 doubles as a freshman
- Multiple Mid-Penn and Keystone Division All-Star
- Twice named to the Harrisburg Patriot News Big 11 team
- Coached by Al Fricke
- Also played soccer at Hershey, earning Mid-Penn Conference and Liberty Division All-Star first-team laurels senior and honorable mention as a sophomore.
Personal:
- Son of Vicki and Robert Kulbacki
- His grandfather Bob Bettleyon played in the Philadelphia Athletics' organization
- Kinesiology major.
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