ASC Announces Baseball Awards, Bertsch Named Player of the Year
5/11/2015 9:40:48 AM
RICHARDSON, Texas – Concordia Texas junior first baseman Connor Bertsch received dual honors as the Player of the Year and Sportsmanship Athlete of the Year to highlight the 2015 American Southwest Conference baseball teams, the ASC office announced Monday (May 11).
Bertsch (Fayetteville, Texas/Fayetteville HS), a two-time all-conference selection, led the ASC in batting average (.443), RBI (31), slugging percentage (.784), on-base percentage (.549) and walks (25). Starting all 29 conference games for the Tornados at first base, Bertsch recorded a team-high 275 put outs and only one error all season. He also tied for second in home runs (6), third in total bases (69), fourth in doubles (10) and was eighth in hits (39) and 10th in runs scored (22).
Concordia Texas senior Cameron Cox was named the ASC Pitcher of the Year and outfielder Michael Evan received Freshman of the Year honors giving the Tornados four of the six individual awards.
Cox (Round Rock, Texas/Stony Point HS) was arguably the most dominant presence on the mound in the ASC all season. Cox led the ASC in ERA (0.83), tied for first in wins (8), tied for second in innings pitched (65.0) and ranked second in earned runs allowed (6). Cox held opposing batters to a .200 average at the plate and recorded 55 strike outs. Only 12 runs crossed the plate all season with Cox on the mound and he never surrendered a home run.
Evan (Cameron, Texas/Yoe HS) finished the season ranked in the top 20 in five league categories. Evan hit .336 at the plate and drove in 21 RBI on 36 hits while recording a .416 on-base percentage. He scored 22 runs in addition to seven doubles, 45 total bases and a .421 slugging percentage. One of two ASC freshmen named first team all-conference, Evan never missed a game against a conference opponent starting all 29 contests for Concordia in the outfield.
Texas-Tyler senior pitcher Jaime Paxton (Hurst, Texas/L.D. Bell HS) was named the ASC Newcomer of the Year. In 10 starts on the mound against conference teams, Paxton ranked in the top five in the ASC in wins (8), innings pitched (65.0), strike outs (73) and opposing batting average (.209). Paxton anchored a Patriots’ pitching staff that won a league-best 24 games to secure the ASC regular season championship.
Texas-Tyler (Chris Bertrand, Gerald Cassard, Eric Grafton, Colby Allen) received the ASC Coaching Staff of the Year Award. The Patriots are the most improved team in the conference moving up from 14 wins against ASC teams in 2014 to 24 wins in 2015 to win the regular season championship.
Texas-Tyler led all teams with 10 all-conference selections including six first team members. Sul Ross State senior short stop Josh Vasquez, Louisiana College senior utility player Mark Riendeau and LeTourneau senior third baseman Ryan Bertram received their third all-conference honor to lead a class of 18 returning all-conference selections.
2015 All-ASC Baseball Teams
Individual Awards
Player of the Year – Connor Bertsch, Concordia Texas
Pitcher of the Year – Cameron Cox, Concordia Texas
Freshman of the Year – Michael Evan, Concordia Texas
Newcomer of the Year – Jaime Paxton, Texas-Tyler
Sportsmanship Athlete of the Year – Connor Bertsch, Concordia Texas
Coaching Staff of the Year – Texas-Tyler
(Chris Bertrand, Gerald Cassard, Eric Grafton, Colby Allen)
First Team
|
Pos. |
Name |
Cl. |
School |
Hometown (High School) |
|
1B |
Connor Bertsch2 |
Jr. |
Concordia Texas |
Fayetteville, Texas (Fayetteville) |
|
2B |
Reid Coover2 |
Sr. |
Texas-Tyler |
Keller, Texas (Keller) |
|
SS |
Andrew Beck* |
So. |
Ozarks |
Conway, Ark. (St Joseph) |
|
SS |
Dynas Doud* |
Jr. |
East Texas Baptist |
Adel, Iowa (Dallas Center-Grimes) |
|
SS |
Josh Vasquez*3 |
Sr. |
Sul Ross State |
Lubbock, Texas (Frenship) |
|
3B |
Brandon George2 |
Jr. |
Texas Dallas |
Spring, Texas (Spring) |
|
C |
Buddy McCoy2 |
Sr. |
Texas-Tyler |
Haughton, La. (Haughton) |
|
OF |
Blake Bonnin |
So. |
Texas-Tyler |
Baytown, Texas (Barbers Hill) |
|
OF |
K.J. Stark2 |
Sr. |
Mary Hardin-Baylor |
Killeen, Texas (Ellison) |
|
OF |
Sam Lane |
Jr. |
Texas-Tyler |
Plano, Texas (Plano East) |
|
OF |
Michael Evan |
Fr. |
Concordia Texas |
Cameron, Texas (Yoe) |
|
DH |
Kevan House2 |
Sr. |
Texas-Tyler |
Whitehouse, Texas (Whitehouse) |
|
UT |
Robert Loewe2 |
Sr. |
Mary Hardin-Baylor |
Waller, Texas (Waller) |
|
SP |
Cameron Cox2 |
Sr. |
Concordia Texas |
Round Rock, Texas (Stony Point) |
|
SP |
Jaime Paxton |
Sr. |
Texas-Tyler |
Hurst, Texas (L.D. Bell) |
|
SP |
Tyler Dauer2 |
Sr. |
Texas Dallas |
San Antonio, Texas (Reagan) |
|
RP |
Justin Traxler |
Fr. |
Concordia Texas |
Austin, Texas (Vista Ridge) |
Second Team
|
Pos. |
Name |
Cl. |
School |
Hometown (High School) |
|
1B |
Eli Gallego |
Jr. |
Sul Ross State |
Alpine, Texas (Alpine) |
|
2B |
Shane Sawyer |
Sr. |
Sul Ross State |
Midland, Texas (Midland) |
|
SS |
Jimmy Norris2 |
Jr. |
Texas Dallas |
Kennedale, Texas (Kennedale) |
|
3B |
Zach Compton |
So. |
East Texas Baptist |
Pflugerville, Texas (Pflugerville) |
|
C |
Garrett Parsons |
Sr. |
Louisiana College |
Channelview, Texas (Channelview) |
|
OF |
Jermaine Liggins |
Sr. |
Louisiana College |
Maben, Miss. (East Webster) |
|
OF |
Chase Burrow2 |
Jr. |
Mary Hardin-Baylor |
Groesbeck, Texas (Groesbeck) |
|
OF |
Kitt Henderson |
Jr. |
Sul Ross State |
Lubbock, Texas (Monterey) |
|
OF |
Race Mellman |
So. |
Concordia Texas |
Refugio, Texas (Waller) |
|
DH |
Garrett Benyo |
Jr. |
Concordia Texas |
Austin, Texas (Westwood) |
|
UT |
Mark Riendeau3 |
Sr. |
Louisiana College |
Carlsbad, Calif. (Tri-City Christian) |
|
SP |
Aaron Barteau2 |
Jr. |
Mary Hardin-Baylor |
Dallas, Texas (Bishop Lynch) |
|
SP |
Justin Jenkins |
Sr. |
LeTourneau |
Hallsville, Texas (Hallsville) |
|
SP |
Cason Adams |
So. |
Texas-Tyler |
Rockwall, Texas (Rockwall) |
|
RP |
Chad Hayes |
So. |
Texas-Tyler |
Montgomery, Texas (Montgomery) |
Third Team
|
Pos. |
Name |
Cl. |
School |
Hometown (High School) |
|
1B |
Garrett Nelson |
Sr. |
Texas-Tyler |
Willis, Texas (Huntsville) |
|
2B |
Tim Cole |
Jr. |
Texas Dallas |
Carlsbad, Calif. (Carlsbad) |
|
SS |
Dakota Parsons |
So. |
Mary Hardin-Baylor |
Conroe, Texas (College Park) |
|
3B |
Ryan Bertram3 |
Sr. |
LeTourneau |
Friendswood, Texas (Baytown Christian) |
|
C |
Gareth Hutton2 |
Jr. |
Concordia Texas |
Georgetown, Texas (St. Andrews Episcopal) |
|
OF |
Sean Sellers |
Jr. |
LeTourneau |
Arlington, Texas (Woodinville, Wash.) |
|
OF |
Cody Berryman |
Fr. |
Hardin-Simmons |
Shallowater, Texas (Shallowater) |
|
OF |
Will Stafford2 |
Jr. |
Mary Hardin-Baylor |
Katy, Texas (Cinco Ranch) |
|
OF |
Pierce Fly |
Sr. |
Texas Dallas |
Boerne, Texas (Boerne) |
|
DH |
Kaleb Robinson |
Sr. |
Texas Dallas |
Okinawa, Japan (Kubasaki) |
|
UT |
Logan Tucker |
Sr. |
Texas-Tyler |
Grand Prairie, Texas (South Grand Prairie) |
|
SP |
Josh Smith |
Jr. |
Concordia Texas |
Conroe, Texas (Oak Ridge) |
|
SP |
Jordan Carns* |
So. |
LeTourneau |
Sierra Vista, Ariz. (Buena) |
|
SP |
Ragan Pope* |
Sr. |
Concordia Texas |
Georgetown, Texas (Georgetown) |
|
SP |
Cody Whitley2 |
Sr. |
LeTourneau |
Dickinson, Texas (Dickinson) |
|
RP |
Kyle Ramon |
So. |
Howard Payne |
San Antonio, Texas (East Central) |
Honorable Mention
|
Pos. |
Name |
Cl. |
School |
Hometown (High School) |
|
1B |
Colson Craddick |
Jr. |
Hardin-Simmons |
Lubbock, Texas (Monterey) |
|
1B |
David Perkins |
Sr. |
LeTourneau |
Longview, Texas (Pine Tree) |
|
2B |
Cary Myers |
Sr. |
Louisiana College |
Zachary, La. (Zachary) |
|
2B |
Luke Kress |
So. |
Concordia Texas |
Cedar Park, Texas (Cedar Park) |
|
SS |
Brandon Garrett |
Jr. |
Howard Payne |
Dripping Springs, Texas (Dripping Springs) |
|
3B |
Chris York |
Fr. |
Sul Ross State |
Lubbock, Texas (Lubbock) |
|
3B |
John Elmore |
Sr. |
Howard Payne |
Tolar, Texas (Tolar) |
|
C |
Matthew Daniel |
Jr. |
Howard Payne |
Cleveland, Texas (Cleveland) |
|
C |
Dylan Sweeney |
Fr. |
Hardin-Simmons |
Midlothian, Texas (Midlothian) |
|
C |
Ryan Downs |
Sr. |
Texas Dallas |
Mesquite, Texas (Dallas Christian) |
|
C |
Dillon Yates |
Jr. |
LeTourneau |
Waxahachie, Texas (Waxahachie) |
|
OF |
Turner Mattson |
Sr. |
Sul Ross State |
Lubbock, Texas (Monterey) |
|
OF |
Sully Martin |
Fr. |
Louisiana College |
Paulina, La. (Lutcher) |
|
UT/RP |
Josh Smith |
Jr. |
Concordia Texas |
Conroe, Texas (Oak Ridge) |
|
UT/RP |
Colton Spears |
Jr. |
Hardin-Simmons |
Pflugerville, Texas (Pflugerville) |
|
UT |
Brice Winter |
So. |
East Texas Baptist |
Paris, Texas (Paris) |
|
SP |
Eli Gallego |
Jr. |
Sul Ross State |
Alpine, Texas (Alpine) |
|
SP |
Aaron Bach |
Jr. |
Texas Dallas |
Bellaire, Texas (Bellaire) |
|
SP |
Brandon Lee |
Jr. |
Texas Dallas |
Dallas, Texas (Greenhill) |
|
SP |
Kreece Cooper |
Sr. |
Mary Hardin-Baylor |
Jarrell, Texas (Jarrell) |
|
SP |
John Singler |
Sr. |
Ozarks |
Muskogee, Okla. (Muskogee) |
|
RP |
Tyler Stallings |
Jr. |
Texas-Tyler |
Splendora, Texas (Splendora HS) |
|
RP |
Colton West |
So. |
Sul Ross State |
Stockdale, Texas (Stockdale) |
|
RP |
Cory Farr |
Jr. |
Mary Hardin-Baylor |
New Caney, Texas (New Caney) |
|
RP |
Matt Lefler |
Sr. |
East Texas Baptist |
Conway, Ark. (Conway) |
|
RP |
Jimmy Russo |
Jr. |
East Texas Baptist |
Kingwood, Texas (Kingwood Park) |
|
RP |
Josh Gimre |
Jr. |
LeTourneau |
Chicago, Ill. (West Chicago Community) |
|
RP |
K.J. Stark |
Sr. |
Mary Hardin-Baylor |
Killeen, Texas (Ellison) |
|
RP |
Michael Ward |
Sr. |
Texas Dallas |
Texarkana, Texas (Pleasant Grove) |
Tie in voting*
Two-time All-Conference2
Three-time All-Conference3