Tuesday, May 14, 2013

PORTLAND, Ore. - Central Washington catcher Kyle Sani has been voted the 2013 Great Northwest Athletic Conference Player of the Year.

A.J. Burke of Western Oregon  earned GNAC Pitcher of the Year honors, while WOU first-year head coach Kellen Walker was selected the GNAC Coach of the Year.

Sani led the GNAC in home runs (18) and RBI (58) and also batted .347 leading the Wildcats to a 30-24 record, their most victories since 2008.  Sani’s home run total was a GNAC and CWU school record.

Burke led the conference in earned run average (2.78) and strikeouts (91 in 90 2/3 innings) and posted a 7-4 won-loss record.

Walker, a 2006 graduate of Point Loma Nazarene, led WOU to a 34-20 record, including 24-8 in conference games as the Wolves won their 12th consecutive GNAC championship, winning both the regular-season and conference tournament titles.

Also earning special awards were Western Oregon pitcher Spenser Watkins and Central Washington outfielder Kramer Ferrell.

Watkins earned GNAC Newcomer of the Year honors.  He led the conference in wins with eight and finished second behind Burke in ERA (3.19).  Ferrell was voted the GNAC Freshman of the Year.  He finished fifth in the GNAC in batting in his rookie season with a .352 average.

Sani, Burke, Watkins and Ferrell were among 10 unanimous selections to the GNAC all-conference team.

Also named to the team unanimously were Central Washington pitcher Skye Adams, CWU first baseman Justin Peterson, Western Oregon shortstop Blake Miller, Montana State Billings shortstop Colby Robison, CWU third baseman Marc Garza and Western Oregon outfielder Matt Nylen.

Four players earned first team honors for the second time including two from the 2012 season (Miller and Nylen) and two from the 2011 season (Robison and Logan Parker of Northwest Nazarene).

Western Oregon placed six players on the 16-man first team all-conference team.  Central Washington earned five first-team slots.  Montana State Billings placed three on the first team, while Saint Martin’s and Northwest Nazarene each had one.

2013 GNAC ALL-CONFERENCE TEAM

First Team: Pitchers - +A.J. Burke, WOU (6-3, 210, Sr., Hillsboro, OR); +Skye Adams, CWU (6-0, 195, Jr., Vancouver, WA);  +Spenser Watkins, WOU (6-1, 185, Jr., Scottsdale, AZ); Brady Muller, MSUB (6-1, 170, So., Billings, MT). Relief Pitcher - Kody Stone, WOU (5-11, 200, Jr., Tacoma, WA).  Catcher - +Kyle Sani, CWU (6-1, 240, Sr., Kennewick, WA). First Base – +Justin Peterson, CWU (6-4, 230, Sr., Tacoma, WA).  Second Base - Bobby Twedt, SMU (5-11, 185, Sr., Mount Vernon, WA).  Shortstop -+*Blake Miller, WOU (6-2, 195, Sr., Salem, OR – South Salem).  Third Base – +Marc Garza, CWU (6-0, 205, Sr., Othello, WA).  Infield - +*Colby Robison, MSUB (6-1, 195, Sr., Rexburg, ID),  Outfielders – +*Matt Nylen, WOU (6-2, 205, Sr., Damascus, OR);  +Kramer Ferrell, CWU (6-0, 190, Fr., Ellensburg, WA); *Logan Parker, NNU (6-1, 195, Sr., Jerome, ID); Drew Fosnes, MSUB (6-0, 195, Jr., Woodinville, WA). Designated Hitter -Daniel McNabb, WOU (5-9, 175, Jr., Rancho Cucamonga, CA).  +Unanimous  *Repeater (Robison and Parker from 2011). 

Second Team:Pitchers -Zach Nuno, WOU (6-2, 210, Sr., Laguna Beach, CA); Stuart Fewel, CWU (6-5, 225, Jr., Portland, OR); Aaron Vaughn, NNU (6-0, 190, Jr., Tucson, AZ). Relief Pitcher -Travis Vincent, MSUB (6-2, 230, Sr., McMinnville, OR). Catchers  – Scott David, WOU (6-1, 205, Sr., Pleasanton, CA); Chandler Tracy, SMU (6-2, 215, So., Newcastle, WA). First Base  – Sam Cook, NNU (6-1, 195, Jr., Nampa, ID). Second Base - Brody Miller, MSUB (5-9, 175, So., Missoula, MT); Kasey Bielec, CWU (5-11, 205, So., Port Orchard, WA). Shortstop -Joel Johnson, CWU (6-1, 175, Jr., Olympia, WA).  Outfielders -Austin Rue, MSUB (5-9, 168, Sr., Clancy, MT); Tim Rausch, WOU (5-10, 190, So., Polson, MT); Chris Bradshaw, WOU (5-11, 195, Jr., Medford, OR).  Designated Hitters -Mack Unruh, MSUB (6-0, 190, Sr., Salem, OR); Travis Shaw, SMU (5-11, 190, So., Mililani, HI). 

Honorable Mention: Pitchers - Joe Arlt, CWU (6-3, 205, Jr., Spokane, WA); Brendon Jeffers, SMU (6-4, 220, Sr., Issaquah, WA). Catcher -Jamie Mitchell, NNU (6-0, 200, Sr., Calgary, AB). Shortstop - Mario Sanelli, SMU(5-11, 180, Sr., Issaquah, WA). Utility  -Tyler Marsh, NNU (5-9, 155, So., Boise, ID).  Outfielders – Ethan Sterkel, CWU (6-2, 210, Jr., Ellensburg, WA); Charlie Gorzo, NNU (6-1, 220, Sr., Murrieta, CA). 

SPECIAL AWARDS: Player of the Year – Kyle Sani, Central Washington.  Pitcher of the Year – A.J. Burke, Western Oregon.  Newcomer of the Year – Spenser Watkins, Western Oregon.  Freshman of the Year – Kramer Ferrell, Central Washington.  Coach of the Year – Kellen Walker, Western Oregon.