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South Dakota State University Athletics
Jackrabbit baseball announces yearly awards
6/5/2009 4:15:00 PM | Baseball
South Dakota State interim head baseball coach Ritchie Price, along with his coaching staff and the entire Jackrabbit baseball team, announced their end of season individual awards this week.
Billy McMacken Most Valuable Player Award: Tony Martin
A senior from Omaha, Neb., Martin started all 56 games, 27 at catcher, and led the Jacks with a .374 batting average and with five triples. The 12th player in program history to notch 200 career hits, his 80 hits in 2009 set a new SDSU single-season mark. Martin earned first-team all-Summit League recognition as a utility player after also filling in at designated hitter and left field.
Greg Geary Big Stick Award: Jesse Sawyer
The Calgary, Alberta native broke the SDSU single-season records with 19 home runs and 148 total bases. Sawyer also earned Summit League Player of the Week honors twice and was a first-team all-Summit League selection at third base.
Trevor Schulte Most Outstanding Pitcher Award: Caleb Thielbar
Thielbar led all Jackrabbit pitchers with 22 appearances and 100 strikeouts and tied for the team lead with five wins. The final victory for the senior from Randolph, Minn., came in an elimination game against Centenary at The Summit League Championship in which he struck out 12 batters in a 10-inning complete-game effort. Thielbar also set Jackrabbit career records for innings pitched and starts during the 2009 season.
Gary Olechoski Fireman Award: Trever Vermeulen
Vermeulen moved into the closer's role midway through the season and led the team with a 4.68 ERA and three saves. A Mitchell native, Vermeulen held opponents to a .265 batting average over 25 innings in 20 games. The right-hander earned Summit League Pitcher of the Week honors the final week of the regular season.
David Lane Gold Glove Award: Billy Stitz
A sophomore from Burnsville, Minn., Stitz committed just one error in 125 chances for a .992 fielding percentage while patrolling center field. Stitz played in all 56 games, batted .302 and led the team with seven sacrifice flies and 12 stolen bases.
Jim Langer Freshman of the Year Award: Eric Cain
The Littleton, Colo., native played in 50 games in his first season as a Jackrabbit, including 49 starts, mostly at shortstop. Cain batted .302 with six doubles and two homers for 16 runs batted in, and ranked among the team leaders with 22 walks.
Ed Maras Newcomer of the Year Award: Joel Blake
Blake handled leadoff duties for much of the season, and finished the season tied with Tony Martin for an SDSU single-season record 80 hits. The sophomore from Langley, British Columbia, batted .351, led the team with 21 doubles and ranked second on the team with 13 home runs and with 51 runs scored. Blake earned Summit League Player of the Week honors on May 11.
Cole Irish Mr. Hustle Award: John Lee
Lee played in 54 games in 2009 with 50 starts in the outfield. The junior right fielder from Mason City, Iowa, batted .305 with 12 doubles, three triples, six home runs, and led the team with 14 hit by pitch. Lee also flourished in the field with a .985 fielding percentage.
Dean Krogman / Dave Manke Captains Award: Tony Martin & Kirby Morsching
The aforementioned Martin shared the award with Morsching, a senior from Rapid City, who sat out much of his final season with an injury. Prior to his injury, Morsching compiled a 4.83 ERA in 11 appearances, with one start and one save over 31.2 innings pitched.
Chris Brown / Doug Sehr Coaches Award: Stephen Turner & Jesse Ayala
A senior from Torrance, Calif., Turner played started 53 games, batting .351 with 71 hits, including a team-high four triples, to go along with his nine doubles and eight homers. A first-team all-Summit League selection at first base, Turner recorded a team-high 412 putouts and tallied a .986 fielding percentage.
A senior from Missoula, Mont., much of what Ayala accomplished over the season did not show up in a box score, although he did bat .319 in 45 games, 33 starts, and led the team with eight sacrifice bunts.
South Dakota State finished the 2009 season with a 26-30 overall record, including a 17-10 record in Summit League play. The Jackrabbits won 21 of their last 29 games and advanced to the championship of the Summit League postseason tournament.
Billy McMacken Most Valuable Player Award: Tony Martin
A senior from Omaha, Neb., Martin started all 56 games, 27 at catcher, and led the Jacks with a .374 batting average and with five triples. The 12th player in program history to notch 200 career hits, his 80 hits in 2009 set a new SDSU single-season mark. Martin earned first-team all-Summit League recognition as a utility player after also filling in at designated hitter and left field.
Greg Geary Big Stick Award: Jesse Sawyer
The Calgary, Alberta native broke the SDSU single-season records with 19 home runs and 148 total bases. Sawyer also earned Summit League Player of the Week honors twice and was a first-team all-Summit League selection at third base.
Trevor Schulte Most Outstanding Pitcher Award: Caleb Thielbar
Thielbar led all Jackrabbit pitchers with 22 appearances and 100 strikeouts and tied for the team lead with five wins. The final victory for the senior from Randolph, Minn., came in an elimination game against Centenary at The Summit League Championship in which he struck out 12 batters in a 10-inning complete-game effort. Thielbar also set Jackrabbit career records for innings pitched and starts during the 2009 season.
Gary Olechoski Fireman Award: Trever Vermeulen
Vermeulen moved into the closer's role midway through the season and led the team with a 4.68 ERA and three saves. A Mitchell native, Vermeulen held opponents to a .265 batting average over 25 innings in 20 games. The right-hander earned Summit League Pitcher of the Week honors the final week of the regular season.
David Lane Gold Glove Award: Billy Stitz
A sophomore from Burnsville, Minn., Stitz committed just one error in 125 chances for a .992 fielding percentage while patrolling center field. Stitz played in all 56 games, batted .302 and led the team with seven sacrifice flies and 12 stolen bases.
Jim Langer Freshman of the Year Award: Eric Cain
The Littleton, Colo., native played in 50 games in his first season as a Jackrabbit, including 49 starts, mostly at shortstop. Cain batted .302 with six doubles and two homers for 16 runs batted in, and ranked among the team leaders with 22 walks.
Ed Maras Newcomer of the Year Award: Joel Blake
Blake handled leadoff duties for much of the season, and finished the season tied with Tony Martin for an SDSU single-season record 80 hits. The sophomore from Langley, British Columbia, batted .351, led the team with 21 doubles and ranked second on the team with 13 home runs and with 51 runs scored. Blake earned Summit League Player of the Week honors on May 11.
Cole Irish Mr. Hustle Award: John Lee
Lee played in 54 games in 2009 with 50 starts in the outfield. The junior right fielder from Mason City, Iowa, batted .305 with 12 doubles, three triples, six home runs, and led the team with 14 hit by pitch. Lee also flourished in the field with a .985 fielding percentage.
Dean Krogman / Dave Manke Captains Award: Tony Martin & Kirby Morsching
The aforementioned Martin shared the award with Morsching, a senior from Rapid City, who sat out much of his final season with an injury. Prior to his injury, Morsching compiled a 4.83 ERA in 11 appearances, with one start and one save over 31.2 innings pitched.
Chris Brown / Doug Sehr Coaches Award: Stephen Turner & Jesse Ayala
A senior from Torrance, Calif., Turner played started 53 games, batting .351 with 71 hits, including a team-high four triples, to go along with his nine doubles and eight homers. A first-team all-Summit League selection at first base, Turner recorded a team-high 412 putouts and tallied a .986 fielding percentage.
A senior from Missoula, Mont., much of what Ayala accomplished over the season did not show up in a box score, although he did bat .319 in 45 games, 33 starts, and led the team with eight sacrifice bunts.
South Dakota State finished the 2009 season with a 26-30 overall record, including a 17-10 record in Summit League play. The Jackrabbits won 21 of their last 29 games and advanced to the championship of the Summit League postseason tournament.
Players Mentioned
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UTIL
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RHP
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IF
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1B
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/ BaseballSunday, May 31
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