Final Fall World Series Stats | Final Fall Hitting Stats

CHARLESTON, Ill. – Freshmen Sean Estand, Josh Mueller and Ryan Green were recognized for their performances in leading the Gray Team to victory in Eastern Illinois baseball’s Fall World Series at the team’s post-series dinner Tuesday night.

 

Estand was named the MVP, Mueller took home Most Valuable Pitcher honors, and Green received the Rolaids Relief award. All three awards are based solely on their performances in the four-game World Series and not the entire fall intrasquad season. The Gray Team won the Series three games to one.

 

Estand finished the Series 6-for-15 with a home run and team-best six RBIs. He collected an RBI in all four games and scored the Series-deciding run in extra innings of game four. He also drove in the game-winning run in game one.

 

Mueller started games one and four, surrendering just two runs over nine innings. Though he did not factor in the decision in either start, his team went on to win both games in extra innings. In his game four start, he gave up just two hits and struck out five through five innings.

 

Green helped get both games one and four to extra innings. For the Series, he did not allow a run over 4 2/3 innings of two-hit relief. The lefthander struck out seven and was the winning pitcher in game one.

 

For the entire fall, Neil Wright (16) and Kyle Wilson (15) led the team in hits. Five of Alex Gee’s 14 hits went for extra bases, including a pair of home runs. Ben Thoma, Brett Nommensen and Zach Skidmore also homered twice. Curt Restko, Ryan Lindquist, Tristan Facer and Skidmore showed the most patience at the plate, drawing seven walks apiece.

 

“I was very pleased with all the young arms this fall,” EIU head coach Jim Schmitz said. “[Assistant coach] Sean Lyons did an outstanding job bringing in such an impressive group of arms. [Freshmen] Josh Mueller, Mike Recchia and Mike Hoekstra in particular all pitched very well. Also, the addition of transfer Tristan Facer from Evansville gives us a veteran to help the young guys grow this spring. As for the returning arms, Tyler Kehrer was what we thought he would be last year. He was dominant from the beginning and that is what we will expect this spring.”

 

“At the plate, we made some key lineup changes,” Schmitz continued. “With no catchers returning, we switched Richie Derbak (a Freshman All-American as a utility player last season) to catcher. I called Richie over the summer and he was great about the switch. He really came on at the end of the fall. We are still pleased with the progress of freshman Ben Thoma, I just think he needs time to mature and learn the importance of the ‘little things.’ We were also very pleased with freshman Sean Estand. He can play either third base or right field which gives us some flexibility. 

 

“Overall, however, I was disappointed with the hitting of the team. With less speed due to the loss of seniors Casey Spears and Mark Chagnon, we don’t have the luxury now of going to small ball. We are going to take time this off season to really iron out the swing mechanic problems. 

 

“Defensively, I was pleased,” Schmitz concluded. “Jordan Kreke gives us the defensive shortstop all teams need and Jordan Tokarz (a second base transfer from Elgin CC) has impressed. Brett Nommensen will once again be our starting centerfielder, but the corner outfield positions are still up in the air. Whoever hits will play.”

The Panthers open their spring season the weekend of Feb. 22-24 with a three-game series at Southeastern Louisiana.