Jeff Messer is fast approaching 1,000 career wins as Slippery Rock University baseball coach.

There is another baseball team on campus, without a coach, without a home field and without much history.

But it does have a national championship.

SRU's club baseball program has only been in existence for five years. The 26 players on the team do much of their own fundraising and pay their own freight for uniforms, as well as for hotel rooms and food when the team hits the road.

“We elect a board that makes decisions, and we get some help through student government funds,” team member Austin Robinson of Williamsport said. “The student government gives us gas money for road trips, for example.

“We're just a bunch of guys who love playing baseball.”

SRU's club team finished 26-5 this season and recently won the Division II portion of the National Collegiate Club World Series in Pittsburg, Kan. Its only loss in the six-game double-elimination tourney was a 2-0 decision to top-ranked Florida Gulf Coast.

The Rock defeated Ohio State twice at nationals and knocked off Windsor, 1-0, in the national title game.

Last year marked the first time SRU had qualified for club nationals. It was quickly eliminated by losses in its first two games.

“We learned from that experience,” said Karns City High School graduate Zach Moore, the team's center fielder and board president. “We were lucky to be there last year. This time, we went out there much more prepared.

“We believed we could win.”

Moore and Knoch High School graduate Gavin Miller, a pitcher, are roommates at SRU. Moore came to The Rock and tried walking on the varsity team. When he didn't make the squad, he joined the club team.

“I'm having more fun playing baseball now than I ever have, including in high school,” Moore said. “There's something to be said about just playing ball with your buddies, not being coached ... We coach ourselves.”

Miller, who plans to walk on with SRU's varsity team in the fall, said he will have a decision to make if he earns a roster spot there.

“The chemistry on this club team is incredible,” Miller said. “The whole team ... Everybody picks each other up.

“I couldn't play at nationals because of an elbow injury. I'm still trying to get my voice back from cheering for the guys so loudly.”

The Rock club team qualified for the regional tourney by winning its conference, which consisted of itself, Cleveland State, Akron, Kent State and Edinboro University. SRU then won the regional over West Virginia, Rider and Penn State to advance to nationals.

Robinson is player-coach of the new Slippery Rock entrant in the Eagle County League this summer. He had to postpone that team's first three games.

“A lot of the guys on our club team are sticking around this summer to play for our Eagle County team,” Robinson said. “We kept advancing in those (club) tournaments, so we had to keep postponing those other games.

“A couple of guys from Butler County Community College along with Slippery Rock High School players Will Allison, Patrick Busa and maybe Zach Van Dyke are also playing for our Eagle County team.”

SRU's club team includes players from Pittsburgh, Maryland, Philadelphia and elsewhere.

Joining Moore as officers on the club board are Vice President Jake Gallo from Conneaut, secretary Ryan Melillo from Arch-Bishop Hoban and treasurer John Fouts from Thomas Jefferson.

The players raised money for the team by working security at Pittsburgh Steelers games, taking donations and selling candles and customized shirts.

They played home games at Slippery Rock High School, Kelly Automotive Park and Highfield this season. Next season, they'll have a place to call home.

The team received approval from student government and the university for a $55,000 renovation of Wally Rose Park, SRU's varsity baseball team's home field before the opening of Critchfield Park.

“That will be a huge plus in terms of being able to practice and play on campus,” Moore said. “We've gotten mostly parents at our games before. Now I think we can drum up more student support.

“We do a lot of team bonding. This is a very close-knit group.”

About 30 players try out for the squad each season, so roster cuts have to be made.

During the regular season, efforts are made to get everybody playing time since every player contributes to the program financially.

“Once the postseason comes, we play our best lineup consistently,” Moore said. “Everyone is on board with that.

“We may be a club team, but like any team, we want to win.”