Nine Ashland University baseball players were selected to the All-GLIAC squads and head coach John Schaly was named the GLIAC Coach of the Year the league office announced Wednesday (May 8) night at a banquet on the eve of the conference tournament.
Six Eagles were named to the All-GLIAC first team, tying a school record previously set on two occasions (2003, 2009). Those players include sophomore shortstop Austin Eifrid, junior designated hitter Carson Mittermaier, junior center fielder Michael Rogers, senior starter Devin Peters, junior starter Chance Hitchcock and senior closer Chris Slavik.
Senior second baseman Matt Littrell was named to the All-GLIAC second team for the second straight season. Sophomore first baseman Micah Allen and sophomore catcher Logan Stoldt were GLIAC honorable mention selections.
Schaly won the GLIAC Coach of the Year award for the seventh time in 22 seasons at the helm. The Eagles (37-10) have enjoyed one of the best regular seasons in program history, going undefeated at Donges Field (16-0) and winning a program-record 17 straight games overall.
Schaly has the Eagles as the top team in the NCAA Division II Midwest Region rankings as they eye their 16th NCAA Tournament berth under his watch. He is 1159-636-7 as a collegiate head coach, including a 796-418-4 mark at AU. His 1,159 wins are second-most among active NCAA Division II coaches.
Eifrid has put together a stellar sophomore campaign, leading the Eagles in hitting at .373 with 31 RBI and 10 extra-base hits. He has reached base at a .514 clip on the strength of 20 walks and 28 hit-by-pitches, the most in school history and the most this season in Division II. He also is third in the GLIAC in stolen bases with 17.
Mittermaier is on the All-GLIAC first team for the second straight year, hitting .333 on the season with eight home runs and 35 RBI. He also has 10 doubles and is slugging .565, which is third on the team. He was a consensus all-region selection last season.
Rogers has been the Eagles' biggest power source this season, leading the team in slugging percentage (.600) and finishing the regular season tied for third in the GLIAC with 10 home runs. He had two multi-homer games this season and hit a grand slam to beat Davenport, capping a three-game series sweep on April 2.
Peters is now a two-time All-GLIAC selection, leading the GLIAC in innings pitched (75 2/3) while finishing second in the league with 94 strikeouts. He finished the regular year with an 8-0 record, one save and a 3.21 ERA as opponents hit just .251 off him.
Hitchcock joined Peters in the one-two rotation punch, going 7-1 on the season with a 2.56 ERA that ranked third in the conference. He struck out 76 batters in 70 2/3 innings and led the Eagles with four complete games. Opponents hit just .242 against the right-hander.
Slavik was dynamite coming out of the bullpen for the Eagles, tying for second in the GLIAC with six saves and tying for the league lead in wins. He was 9-1 with a 2.65 ERA, racking up 50 strikeouts in just 34 innings. Twice this season he had two wins in a day and opponents hit just .187 off the righty.
Littrell led the Eagles in RBI with 39 on the season while hitting .331. He totaled 15 extra-base hits, including five homers.
Allen was the Eagles' second-leading hitter with a .370 batting average. He also had 15 extra-base hits, including 10 doubles, despite playing in just 30 games due to injury.
Stoldt played in 46 games and made 42 starts, almost exclusively as the Eagles' catcher. He hit .285 with five homers and 25 RBI. He also cut down 48 percent (12-of-25) of would-be base-stealers.
The Eagles, the top seed in the GLIAC Tournament, will play No. 6-seed Saginaw Valley on Thursday (May 8) in the first round at 2:30 p.m. in Traverse City, Mich.
AU
BASE/BB