MSOE Athletic Hall of Fame
The MSOE baseball teams of the late ‘70s had great offensive players. However, as the old baseball saying goes, "pitching wins championships," and no other MSOE pitcher exemplified this quite like Alan Balke. With Balke carrying the brunt of the pitching responsibilities from 1977 to 1980, the MSOE baseball team won four straight conference titles.
Balke, a left-handed pitcher, was known for his durability and his incredible pick-off move. Primarily a starter, it was not unusual for Balke to come late into a game and pick off a base-runner. Balke earned All-Conference honors three times and was an All-District selection his junior season. That season, he compiled a 6-1 record with an Earned Run Average of 0.931. He led the team in appearances and innings both his junior and senior years. Strong offensive support of Balke's stellar pitching proved a championship combination for MSOE baseball.