Eight MSSU baseball players earn all-MIAA honors

(From MSSU Lions Athletic News)

The 15th ranked Missouri Southern baseball team was represented well on the All-MIAA team as a total of eight players earned honors, including Cody Hutchinson as the Pitcher of the Year and coach Bryce Darnell as the Coach of the Year when the league's post season honors were announced today.

Hutchinson leads the MIAA in wins and earned run average as the junior is 10-0 on the season with a 2.51 ERA, seven complete games, 73 strikeouts and only 16 walks. He also is tied for the league-lead in complete games with teammate Payton Walker. Hutchinson ranks fifth nationally in wins and complete games and is one win away from tying the MSSU record for wins in a single-season.

Walker, along with Hutchinson, was one of four Lions named to the first-team. This season, Walker is tied with Hutchinson for the league-lead in complete games, while leading the MIAA in WHIP (walks and hits per innings pitched), while ranking third in strikeouts. He is 8-2 on the season and has also moved up the MSSU record books.

Walker now has 19 wins in his career and that moves him into a tie for fourth place all-time in MSSU history. His 183 strikeouts rank him fifth all-time, while his 32 games started rank eighth all-time. This is his third-straight All-MIAA nod after earning honorable mention as a freshman and a sophomore.

Joining Hutchinson and Walker on the first team are designated hitter Jesse Rall, and Chris Hoffman who was selected as a utility player, having seen time as both the starting center fielder and a member of the Lions' weekend rotation.

Rall led the team in home runs (15) and RBIs (54) this season and he ranked third in the league in both home runs and home runs per game, third in RBIs and second in slugging. He is one home run away from tying the single-season record at MSSU and also ranks 16th nationally in home runs and 24th in slugging.

Hoffman has been one of the most complete players in the MIAA this year. He is second in the league and leads the Lions with a .430 batting average, while ranking second in the MIAA in total hits. He leads the team in average, hits, runs, doubles triples, stolen bases and on-base percentage, while ranking second in RBIs and home runs.

Not to be done as a hitter, Hoffman was also a member of the Lions' weekend rotation this year, going 4-1 with a 4.19 ERA in five starts. He had two complete games, while striking out 23 and walking just four. He is a semi-finalist for the Tino Martinez Award, which is given annually to Division II's top player.

Richie Gorski was a second-team selection at third base. He was third on the team in batting average at .353, while ranking third in home runs (7), tied for second in RBIs (39) and second in stolen bases (7). He also ranked third in doubles with 11.

Tyler Burgess was a third-team selection as a pitcher. Burgess, in his first year after transferring from Missouri State, helped solidify a rotation that was easily the top pitching staff in the MIAA and one of the top in all of Division II. He ranked fourth in the MIAA in strikeouts with 73, while going 5-1 on the season with ten starts. He struck out 73 in 61.1 innings and walked just 15.

Earning honorable mention status were second baseman Jacob Bryant and relief pitcher Nick Pettus. Bryant came on late and hit .342 for the Lions, but was second on the team in average in MIAA games, hitting .357 with two home runs and 14 runs scored in conference play.

Pettus was tied for the team-lead with four saves, and had a 2-1 record with a 1.25 ERA. He struck out 21 in 21.2 innings pitched, while limiting batters to a .171 batting average. All four of Pettus' saves, however, came in MIAA play where the senior righty turned it on and held MIAA hitters to a .103 average and didn't allow a single run in conference action.

Darnell earns his first MIAA Coach of the Year Award after leading the Lions to the MIAA regular-season title. The team is ranked 15th nationally by the media and 17th by the coaches. Southern sits in third in the latest NCAA Division II Central Region rankings. The Lions are poised to break the school record this year for fielding percentage and they rank fourth nationally in that category.

Southern opens up the MIAA Tournament today at 11 am as the Lions play host to Washburn at Community America Ballpark in Kansas City, Kan.

Joplin Blasters to play exhibition game May 15 at MSSU

(From MSSU Lions Athletic News)

The Missouri Southern athletic department and the Joplin Blasters have announced the Blasters will play their first exhibition game in Joplin at Warren Turner Field on the campus of MSSU.

The game, which will be played against the Wichita Wingnuts, will be played on May 15 at 6:35 pm from Turner field. Admission will be free and fans are encouraged to come out early to see the team warm up.

This will be the public's first chance to see the Blasters in action. The team will open the regular season on May 21 at the newly renovated Joe Becker Stadium in Joplin. That game will start at 6:35 pm.

Also exciting to note to Missouri Southern baseball fans will be the opportunity to see former Lions' infielder Jake Taylor playing for the Blasters. Taylor, who played with the Saint Paul Saints last season, was acquired by the Blasters this week in a trade with the Kansas City T-Bones.

"We are excited to host our first exhibition game at MSSU," said Shawn Suarez, Executive Vice President and General Manager of the Blasters. "The Four States community is very lucky to have such great baseball venues, and we think Warren Turner Field will be a beautiful setting for our first exhibition game."

Jared Bruggeman, Director of Athletics at Southern echoed Suarez's sentiments.

"We are extremely excited to partner with the Blasters in helping them open their inaugural season here in Joplin," Bruggeman said. "This will be a great chance to show off the beautiful new facility we have here at Southern and we're looking forward to having the Blasters here in action at Warren Turner Field."

Four MSSU softball players named all-MIAA

(From MSSU Lions Athletic News)

 Four Missouri Southern softball Lions earned All-MIAA honors when the conference office named the All-MIAA teams yesterday.

Myranda Stewart, Brooke Swadley, Kathryn Goins-Osburn, and Alana Hester all earned honorable mention honors for their efforts in the 2015 season. Stewart, a native of Owasso, Okla., led the Lions in hitting with a .302 batting average, RBIs with 25, slugging percentage with a .477, and on base percentage with .367. Goins-Osburn, from Van Buren, Ark.,  led the team in home runs with six and finished seventh all time at MSSU with 14. Hester, from Ballwin, Mo.,  led the team in stolen bases with 28 on the season and finished her junior year with 68 just 10 shy of second all time at Southern. Swadley, a native of Purdy, Mo., finished with 128 hits in her four years in The Green & Gold.

Player of the Year: Stephanie Goodwin, Sr., Emporia State
Pitcher of the Year: Emmie Robertson, Fr., Pittsburg State
Defensive Player of the Year: Taylor Zordel, Sr., Emporia State
Freshman of the Year: Emmie Robertson, Fr., Pittsburg State
Coach of the Year: Susan Anderson, Central Missouri

1st Team
Pitcher: Emmie Robertson, Fr., Pittsburg State
Pitcher: Katie Shockley, Sr., Central Missouri
Catcher: Ashleigh Tramel, So., Central Oklahoma
First Base: Lauren Mabe, So., Central Missouri
Second Base: Tiffany Gillaspy, Sr., Missouri Western$
Shortstop: Taylor Zordel, Sr., Emporia State#
Third Base: Ashton Smith, Jr., Central Oklahoma
Outfield: Stephanie Goodwin, Sr., Emporia State**$
Outfield: Kaylee Brunson, Sr., Central Oklahoma$

Outfield: Cheslyn Mitchell, Sr., Pittsburg State
Designated Player: McKenzie Rynard, Sr., Pittsburg State$
Utility/Non-Pitcher: Danielle Sprinkle, Fr., Emporia State
Utility/Pitcher: Lauren Thimmesch, Sr., Washburn
**= Unanimous Selection
$= Repeat First Team Selection
#= Three-time repeat selection

2nd Team
Pitcher: Kendle Schieber, Jr., Northwest Missouri
Pitcher: Janie Smith, Jr., Missouri Western
Catcher: Nicole Nease, So., Pittsburg State
First Base: Stephanie Mark, Sr., Northwest Missouri
Second Base: Ally Dziadula, Jr., Central Oklahoma
Shortstop: Morgan Heard, Fr., Central Oklahoma
Third Base: Jessica Gragg, Sr., Emporia State
Outfield: Brooke Zukerman, Jr., Central Oklahoma
Outfield: Morgan Rathmann, So., Missouri Western
Outfield: Rebecca Wyatt, Jr., Nebraska-Kearney
Designated Player: Paige Shifflett, Fr., Missouri Western
Utility/Non-Pitcher: Kylie Guthier, So., Pittsburg State
Utility/Pitcher: Jakki Prater, Sr., Central Missouri

Honorable Mention
Pitcher: Kelsey Berlin, Sr., Central Oklahoma; Nicole Brady, Jr., Central Oklahoma; Kesley Kimminau, Sr., Fort Hays State; Paxton Duran, Jr., Fort Hays State; Kendall Ryndak, Sr., Lindenwood; Cassie Roessing, Jr., Nebraska-Kearney; Kacey Ayres, So., Southwest Baptist.
Catcher: Carlie Rose, Jr., Central Missouri; Jacie Stephens, So., Emporia State; Alexandra Newcomb, Sr., Lindenwood; Alli Eales, Sr., Northeastern State; Erin Dwyer, Jr., Nebraska-Kearney; Kristen Bell, Jr., Washburn
First Base: Emily Ditmore, Sr., Central Oklahoma; Tori Beltz, Jr., Fort Hays State; Alexis Theis, So., Lindenwood; Kate Ruwe, Jr., Nebraska-Kearney; Paige Gann, Fr., Northeastern State; Caitlyn Cooner, Jr., Southwest Baptist; Marina Quimby, Jr., Washburn.
Second Base: Jessica Wolken, Jr., Lincoln; Brooke Swadley, Sr., Missouri Southern; Megan Ewton, Jr., Northeastern State; Torri Blythe, So., Northwest Missouri; Taylor Zimmerman, Jr., Washburn.
Shortstop: Ali Jo Rogers, Jr., Central Missouri; Sam Kircher, Sr., Lincoln; Cassidy Merriman, Fr., Washburn.
Third Base: Lindsey Dawson, So., Central Missouri; Myranda Stewart, Fr., Missouri Southern; Katie Klosterman, So., Missouri Western; Chantel Adams, So., Northwest Missouri; Brittanie Halquist, Jr., Southwest Baptist.
Outfield: Caitlin VanVleck, Fr., Emporia State; Samantha Villarreal, So., Fort Hays State; Amanda Vaupel, Sr., Fort Hays State; Megan Heimbaugh, So., Lincoln; Allyson Corry, Sr., Lincoln; Madison Huot, So., Lindenwood;Alana Hester, Jr., Missouri Southern; Jessica Boone, Fr., Northeastern State; Ashton Pratt, Jr., Pittsburg State; Catlin Evans, So., Southwest Baptist; Megan Stegman, So., Washburn; Haylee Marsteller, Jr., Washburn; Jordan Erickson, So., Washburn.
Designated Player: Alex Leonhart, So., Central Missouri.
Utility/Non-Pitcher: Katie Giacone, Fr., Central Missouri; Courtney Dobson, Jr., Fort Hays State; Kylie Strand, Jr., Fort Hays State; Kathryn Goins-Osburn, Sr., Missouri Southern.
Utility/Pitcher: Kaitlyn Caston, Sr., Emporia State.