Tuesday, May 7, 2019

PORTLAND, Ore. – In a year highlighted by explosive performances at the plate, it is Montana State Billings first baseman Daniel Cipriano who leads the selections to the 2019 Great Northwest Athletic Conference Baseball All-Conference Team.

The slugger was named by coaches as the conference Player of the Year and Newcomer of the Year after he finished the regular season at the top of multiple statistical categories. Cipriano sits in first in batting average (.409), RBI (50), home runs (17) and on-base percentage (.534). 

The junior leads a cast of superlative award winners comprised from the top two teams in the conference. 

Yellowjackets head coach Aaron Sutton was selected by his peers as the conference's Coach of the Year for a second straight season. In his third year with the program, Sutton led MSUB to its fourth regular-season title in the last five years. Montana State Billings (30-18, 30-10 GNAC) won eight of its 10 series against GNAC opponents this season and led the league in multiple offensive categories.  

Western Oregon right-hander Alex Roth was chosen as the GNAC Pitcher of the Year for a second straight season in addition to earning First Team All-GNAC honors. Roth leads the conference with a 2.65 earned run average and a perfect 6-0 record. In 54.1 innings pitched, he has allowed just 16 earned runs while notching a GNAC-high 80 strikeouts.

Boasting one of the top bats in the league this season, Western Oregon outfielder Jacob Maiben has been named the Freshman of the Year and Second Team All-GNAC. The freshman finished the year with a loud .402 average at the plate, tallying 27 RBI and 27 runs. Maiben was also perfect defensively this season, ending the year with a fielding percentage of 1.000.

Roth leads the seven WOU selections to the first team. Joining the junior are junior pitcher Austin Crowson, senior catcher Jared McDonald, senior second baseman Patrick Chung, senior third baseman Collin Runge, junior utility man Connor McCord and senior outfielder Griffey Halle. Crowson, the other arm on the first team, has been a consistent force on the mound this season. His year was highlighted by a no-hit performance at Concordia last month, marking just the fifth no-hitter in GNAC history.

McDonald, Chung, Runge and Halle are all ranked inside the top-10 in the GNAC in batting average. Leading the way is McDonald, who enters the postseason with a .367 average while tying for second in the conference with Runge with 46 runs scored. McCord has come up clutch when needed for the Wolves, ranking second on the team and fifth in the league with 40 RBI.

Cipriano is one of six Yellowjackets to garner first-team honors. Earning his third selection to the all-conference team, senior outfielder Jalen Garcia is fourth in the GNAC in both batting average (.366) and home runs (9). Also putting up video game-like numbers is sophomore shortstop Wyatt Setian, who is hitting .351 with 45 RBI and 12 home runs.

Rounding out the Montana State Billings selections are seniors Matt Dillon (second in GNAC with 46 runs) and Steen Fredrickson (second with a 3.87 earned run average, 79 strikeouts and six wins) and designated hitter Andrew Schleusner. A unanimous selection after earning second-team honors a year ago, Schleusner is hitting .305 in 2019 with 29 RBI.

Saint Martin's earned two first-team selections in the form of upperclassmen pitchers Mickey Walker and Tanner Inouye. Walker recorded a league-high seven saves in his senior season in Lacey. Inouye was the Saints most consistent starting pitcher, following up his honorable mention recognition a year ago with four wins and a 4.59 earned run average in 2019. The junior is slotted second in the GNAC in opposing batting average at .236 while ranking third with 77 strikeouts.

Rounding out the first team picks is Central Washington senior outfielder Justin Hampson. One of two Wildcats to finish the season hitting above .300, Hampson notched a .313 average with 19 RBI and 35 runs. His persistent patience at the plate paid off as well, ranking sixth in the conference with 25 walks.

Montana State Billings leads all teams with 13 selections to the GNAC Baseball All-Conference Team while Western Oregon and Saint Martin's had 11 and eight selections, respectively. A total of 16 honorees are repeat selections to the team.

2019 GNAC BASEBALL ALL-CONFERENCE TEAM
Player of the Year: Daniel Cipriano, Montana State Billings
Coach of the Year: Aaron Sutton, Montana State Billings
Pitcher of the Year: Alex Roth, Western Oregon
Freshman of the Year: Jacob Maiben, Western Oregon
Newcomer of the Year: Daniel Cipriano, Montana State Billings

* - Unanimous Selection     + - First Team Selection In 2018   # - Second Team Selection In 2018    

@ - Honorable Mention in 2018    & - Second Team Selection in 2017   ! - Honorable Mention in 2017  

^ - Honorable Mention In 2016