Thursday, January 28, 2016

PORTLAND, Ore. – Montana State Billings outfielder Luke Reinschmidt was selected by the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association to the Preseason All-America Second Team. The senior leads a group of 10 GNAC players that were named to the NCBWA Preseason All-West Team.

Along with Reinschmidt, MSUB shortstop Corey Morris and Northwest Nazarene second baseman Tyler Davis were selected for the NCBWA All-West First Team. Yellowjackets’ starting pitcher Tanner Johnson, Northwest Nazarene catcher Andrew Helmstadter and outfielder Josh Hatfield, Central Washington shortstop Jonathan Dailey, Western Oregon outfielder Cody Sullivan and pitchers Garrett Alvarez and Brady Miller were selected to the second team.

In addition, Western Oregon earned a No. 7 ranking in the NCBWA Preseason West Regional Poll, the lone team to represent the GNAC, while Montana State Billings received votes.

Reinschmidt was a First Team All-GNAC selection in 2015, starting all 50 games in center field. The senior hit .370 with 10 home runs, 56 runs batted in, 47 runs scored and 11 total bases. He helped lead the Yellowjackets to their first ever GNAC regular season title with a 27-23 overall record and a 22-10 in GNAC play.

Morris hit .353 for the Yellowjackets last season, starting 40 games at shortstop. He scored 24 runs and led MSUB with nine sacrifices. Johnson was the top starter for the Yellowjackets last season, posting a 6-1 record with a 3.99 earned run average in 65.1 innings pitched. The right hander was also selected First Team All-GNAC as a junior.

Davis led the Crusaders with nine home runs, adding 37 RBI and 36 runs scored after starting all 57 games for the team. Davis’ season also included a team high 22 doubles and 115 total bases. Hatfield paced Northwest Naarene with a .352 average, scoring 49 runs with 12 stolen bases. Helmstadter hit .319 for the Crusaders, driving in 40 runs with four round trippers.

Dailey was a .322 hitter last season for Central Washington, hitting two home runs with 28 RBI and 26 runs scored. The Sherwood, Ore. native was selected to the Second Team All-GNAC as a junior.

For Western Oregon, Sullivan enjoyed a breakout year with a .324 batting average, 34 RBI, 23 runs scored, 12 doubles and four triples. Alvarez finished 2015 with a 6-2 record, 4.38 ERA and 48 strikeouts in 61.2 innings. Miller was named the GNAC Freshman of the Year after posting a 1.72 ERA in 18 appearances over 36.2 innings. He struck out 41 batters with a 2-1 overall record.

The NCBWA was founded in 1962 and is dedicated to the advancement of college baseball. The first national and regional polls of the regular season are to be released Mon., Feb. 15.