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JACKSON, Tenn. - Morehead State senior catcher
Chris Robinson was named Ohio Valley Conference Player of the Year while Southeast Missouri junior
Joey Lucchesi earned OVC Pitcher of the Year honors at the annual OVC Awards Banquet held on the eve of the 2015 OVC Baseball Championship (which is being held at The Ballpark at Jackson for the sixth-straight season). Morehead State's
Mike McGuire took home OVC Coach of the Year honors while Tennessee Tech designated hitter
Ryan Flick was tabbed OVC Rookie of the Year.
The awards are voted on by league head coaches and sports information directors and were awarded along with first and second-team All-OVC and All-Freshman honors. Belmont and Jacksonville State tied for the most first-team selections (3) while Jacksonville State and Morehead State had eight selections apiece across the three teams to lead all schools.
Robinson put together one of the greatest offensive seasons in school and Conference history in helping Morehead State to a school record 35 total victories and 20 Conference wins in 2015. The senior catcher led the OVC in batting average (.416), hits (94), runs (74), triples (5) and total bases (154), ranked second in RBI (67) and third in doubles (23), on-base percentage (.481) and slugging percentage (.681). In 30 Conference games he hit .441 with 56 hits, 46 runs, 12 doubles, five triples, seven home runs and 40 RBI. Nationally Robinson ranks second in runs/game (1.40), hits and total bases, fourth in RBI (1.26/game), fifth in batting average, 10th in slugging and 12th in doubles (0.43/game). Robinson drove in five RBI twice in a game this season and was 5-for-5 with four runs scored and four RBI in a victory over SIUE. He led the OVC with 20 multi-RBI games this season and was second in the league with 27 multi-hit contests; Robinson enters the postseason with a season-high 13-game hitting streak. Defensively he committed just two errors in 274 chances and threw out 11 base runners who attempted to steal against him. Robinson began the season on the Johnny Bench Award Watch List (given to the nation's top catcher) and was recently named a semifinalist for the Dick Howser Trophy, given to the top player nationally by the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association (NCBWA). Robinson is the eighth Morehead State player to be named OVC Player of the Year and first since 2005 (Lance Seasor).
Lucchesi led the OVC in earned run average (2.87 - 0.45 better than second place), strikeouts (87 total, 9.59/game) and opponent batting average (.194) in compiling a 7-1 record for the OVC Champion Redhawks. After starting the season in the bullpen, the junior transitioned into the starting rotation at the beginning of Conference play and helped Southeast Missouri to a 9-2 record in his 11 starts, including going undefeated over his final six starts of the year. Lucchesi had a season-high 13 strikeouts in back-to-back starts against Murray State and Tennessee Tech and added 11 strikeouts in seven innings of work against SIUE. The junior was a workhorse, ranking seventh in the OVC in innings pitched (81.2) as he went seven or more innings in eight of his 11 starts. He allowed two hits and zero runs in back-to-back starts against each UT Martin and SIUE and went eight innings without allowing a run in his final regular season start at Belmont. Lucchesi also did a good job of keeping his opponents in check, as he allowed only 11 extra base hits on the season. Nationally he ranks 24th in hits allowed per nine innings (6.17). Lucchesi is the seventh different Southeast Missouri pitcher to be named OVC Pitcher of the Year and second in a row (Travis Hayes).
In just his third season at the helm of the Morehead State program, McGuire continues to take the Eagles to new heights. After being picked fifth in the preseason poll he led MSU to the most overall (35) and Conference victories (20) in program history. Morehead State finished second in the OVC standings, its highest finish since placing second in the 1994 season. During the year the team put together the longest winning streak in MSU history (11 games) and finished the season by going 24-7 over its final 31 games (since March 28). Along the way the Eagles scored three wins at nationally-ranked San Diego and recorded its first-ever sweep at Jacksonville State. McGuire put together an offense that leads the country in batting average (.334), scoring (8.6 runs/game), total runs (471), hits (680), doubles/game (2.93) and slugging (.523). McGuire is the fourth different Morehead State skipper to be named OVC Coach of the Year and first since the 1986 season. The previous MSU coaches to take home the honor include Rex Chaney (1964, 1965, 1966), Sonny Allen (1969, 1973) and Steve Hamilton (1977, 1983, 1984, 1985 and 1986), all of who are in the OVC Hall of Fame.
In his first season with Tennessee Tech Flick led the team and ranked fourth in the OVC in RBI (57). For the year the designated hitter had 16 multi-RBI games, which ranked seventh in the OVC, and added 18 multi-hit contests. Overall he hit .289 with 57 hits, 39 runs, 16 doubles and 10 home runs in 52 games. He is the first Golden Eagle freshman to hit 10-plus home runs since Zach Stephens in 2011 (Stephens would go on to set OVC career records for home runs, RBI and total bases). In Conference-only games he upped his batting average to .305 and ranked third in the league with 39 RBI. During the last week of the season he had a 4-for-5 game with a home run and six RBI. He enters the postseason with a 14-game streak of reaching base safely. Flick is the second Tennessee Tech player to be named OVC Freshman of the Year and first since 2002 (Cole Helms).
Robinson and Lucchesi were two of the 14 total first-team selections which included eight seniors, four juniors and two sophomores. Two players were repeat first-team selections in Tennessee Tech senior shortstop
Dylan Bosheers and Jacksonville State senior closer
Travis Stout; both of those players were All-Freshman selections in 2012 and second-team All-OVC picks in 2013 before garnering first-team selections each of the last two years. Bosheers, who is on the Brooks Wallace Award Watch List for national shortstop of the year, hit .333 with 65 hits, 48 runs, 19 doubles and seven home runs this season and is just six doubles away from tying the OVC all-time record and two hits from joining the Conference's career top 10 list. Stout ranks 12th nationally in saves this season with 13, while his 45 career saves are the most in OVC history and sixth all-time in NCAA history. The squad also included three players who moved up from the second-team last season in Eastern Illinois senior outfielder
Caleb Howell, Belmont senior outfielder
Drew Ferguson and Jacksonville State junior designated hitter
Paschal Petrongolo. Howell finished his career fourth in OVC history in hits (297) while ranking ninth nationally in batting (.407) and 10th in on-base percentage (.493). Ferguson ranks third nationally in runs (1.22/game), sixth in total bases (140), 10th in doubles (0.44/game) and 13th in hits (82) while Petrongolo was 10th in the OVC in batting (.361) while adding 45 runs, 16 doubles and 56 RBI. The first-team infielders also included Morehead State senior first baseman
Kane Sweeney, who ranked sixth nationally in walks/game (0.94) while hitting .349 with 13 home runs and 56 RBI, Belmont junior second baseman
Tyler Fullerton and Belmont senior third baseman
Matt Beaty. Fullerton hit .358 with 17 doubles, 11 home runs and 53 RBI while Beaty ranked second nationally in RBI (1.35/game), third in total bases (147) and 10th in hits (84). Included in the outfielders was Eastern Kentucky junior
Kyle Nowlin who led all Division I players with 19 home runs while adding a .326 batting average, 49 runs, 45 RBI, 18 stolen bases and a .690 slugging percentage (which was eighth nationally). Also included on the team was Austin Peay sophomore
Alex Robles who earned honors as both a utility player (seeing action at first base, second base, shortstop, third base and designated hitter) and starting pitcher. Robles, last year's Freshman of the Year, was the Governors Friday night starter and compiled a 6-3 record and 3.31 E.R.A. (second in the OVC) while also adding three saves in 84.1 innings of work. At the plate he hit .328 with 59 hits, 31 runs, 12 doubles, three home runs and 39 RBI. The first-team was rounded out by Jacksonville State senior
Zachary Fowler who was 8-2 with a 3.66 E.R.A. and 75 strikeouts in 86 innings of work; the eight victories was tied for the league-lead while his E.R.A. and strikeouts were each ranked third in the OVC.
The second-team included two players who were All-Freshman selections a year ago and moved up to the second-team this season in Murray State sophomore catcher
Tyler Lawrence (.302, 62 hits, 36 runs, 13 doubles, 3 triples, 12 home runs, 46 RBI) and Morehead State sophomore starting pitcher
Luke Humphreys (7-2, 4.83 E.R.A., 60 strikeouts in 76.1 innings). The second-team infielders included Southeast Missouri junior first baseman
Ryan Rippee (.306, 17 doubles, 12 home runs, 56 RBI), Austin Peay sophomore second baseman
Garrett Copeland (.345, 52 runs, 15 doubles, 18 stolen bases), Morehead State senior shortstop
Robby Spencer (.344, 77 hits, 21 doubles, 8 home runs, 66 RBI), Southeast Missouri junior shortstop
Branden Boggetto (.308, 68 hits, 45 runs, 21 doubles, 11 home runs, 52 RBI), Austin Peay sophomore third baseman
Logan Gray (.366, 15 doubles, 14 home runs, 39 RBI) and Jacksonville State senior
Ryan Sebra (.340, 73 hits, 16 doubles, 9 home runs, 54 RBI). The three outfield selections were Morehead State senior teammates
Nick Newell (.374, 86 hits, 27 doubles, 7 home runs, 57 RBI) and
Brandon Rawe (.353, 85 hits, 65 runs, 22 doubles, 11 home runs, 46 RBI) and Eastern Illinois junior
Demetre Taylor (.384, 63 hits, 9 home runs, 46 RBI). The designated hitter selection was Southeast Missouri junior
Garrett Gandolfo (.307, 51 hits, 8 home runs, 51 RBI) while senior teammate
Andy Lennington was the utility pick (.333, 62 hits, 11 doubles, 7 home runs while seeing time at third base and in the outfield). In addition to Humphreys the starting pitcher selections included SIUE junior
P.J. Schuster (8-3, 4.93 E.R.A. 67 strikeouts), Tennessee Tech senior
Chris Chism (7-3, 4.66 E.R.A., 60 strikeouts) and Belmont junior
Aaron Quillen (5-5, 3.93 E.R.A., 73 strikeouts). Belmont junior
Matt Kinney (2.09 E.R.A., 6 saves) was the relief pitcher selection. The All-OVC second-team included six seniors, seven juniors and four sophomores.
Eight of the 11 OVC baseball squads had at least one representative on the All-Freshman Team, which was awarded for the 10th time in 2015. The 15-member team was highlighted by Flick, the League's Rookie of the Year. He was joined by two teammates in first baseman
Chase Chambers and pitcher
Travis Moths. The team had four selections from Jacksonville State in second baseman
Clayton Daniel, shortstop
Taylor Hawthorne and pitchers
Justin Hoyt and
Jake Walsh. Morehead State had a pair of selections in second baseman
Braxton Morris and pitcher
Brent Stoneking while Murray State also had a pair of picks in third baseman
Kipp Moore and pitcher
Tyler Anderson. The team was rounded out by Eastern Illinois outfielder
Joseph Duncan, Southeast Missouri third baseman
Trevor Ezell, SIUE outfielder
Dustin Woodcock and UT Martin pitcher
Dillon Symon.
2015 All-OVC Baseball Team and Award Winners
OVC Player of the Year: Chris Robinson, Morehead State
OVC Pitcher of the Year: Joey Lucchesi, Southeast Missouri
OVC Rookie of the Year: Ryan Flick, Tennessee Tech
OVC Coach of the Year: Mike McGuire, Morehead State
ALL-OVC FIRST TEAM
C - Chris Robinson, Morehead State
1B - Kane Sweeney, Morehead State
2B - Tyler Fullerton, Belmont
SS - Dylan Bosheers, Tennessee Tech
3B - Matt Beaty, Belmont
OF - Drew Ferguson, Belmont
OF - Kyle Nowlin, Eastern Kentucky
OF - Caleb Howell, Eastern Illinois
DH - Paschal Petrongolo, Jacksonville State
UT - Alex Robles, Austin Peay
SP - Joey Lucchesi, Southeast Missouri
SP - Zachary Fowler, Jacksonville State
SP - Alex Robles, Austin Peay
RP - Travis Stout, Jacksonville State
ALL-OVC SECOND TEAM
C - Tyler Lawrence, Murray State
1B - Ryan Rippee, Southeast Missouri
2B - Garrett Copeland, Austin Peay
SS - Robby Spencer, Morehead State
SS - Branden Boggetto, Southeast Missouri
3B - Logan Gray, Austin Peay
3B - Ryan Sebra, Jacksonville State
OF - Nick Newell, Morehead State
OF - Brandon Rawe, Morehead State
OF - Demetre Taylor, Eastern Illinois
DH - Garrett Gandolfo, Southeast Missouri
UT - Andy Lennington, Southeast Missouri
SP - P.J. Schuster, SIUE
SP - Chris Chism, Tennessee Tech
SP - Luke Humphreys, Morehead State
SP - Aaron Quillen, Belmont
RP - Matt Kinney, Belmont
ALL-FRESHMAN TEAM
OF Joseph Duncan, Eastern Illinois
2B Clayton Daniel, Jacksonville State
SS Taylor Hawthorne, Jacksonville State
LHP Justin Hoyt, Jacksonville State
RHP Jake Walsh, Jacksonville State
2B Braxton Morris, Morehead State
RHP Brent Stoneking, Morehead State
3B Kipp Moore, Murray State
RHP Tyler Anderson, Murray State
3B Trevor Ezell, Southeast Missouri
OF Dustin Woodcock, SIUE
DH Ryan Flick, Tennessee Tech
1B Chase Chambers, Tennessee Tech
RHP Travis Moths, Tennessee Tech
RHP Dillon Symon, UT Martin
Note: There are two SS's, two 3B's and two SP's on the second-team and 15 players on the All-Freshman Team due to ties in voting.