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.
“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.
Fall World Series Rosters
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Blue Team
Position Players
Alex Gee – 1B/DH
Ryne Brownfield – 2B
Jordan Kreke – SS
Zach Skidmore – 3B
Tristan Facer – DH/1B
Curt Restko – LF
Neil Wright – CF
Ryan Lindquist – RF
Ben Thoma – C
Pitching Staff
Starting Pitchers
Tristan Facer – Game 1
Mike Hoekstra – Game 2
Zach Carney – Game 3
Bullpen
Matt Boyer
Tyler Brandon
Scott Foley
Ross Jeske
Mike Martin
Manager
Sean Lyons
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Gray Team
Position Players
Drake Chillman – 1B
Jordan Tokarz – 2B
Cam Strang – SS
Sean Estand – 3B
Bart Thyer – DH
Kyle Wilson – LF
Brett Nommensen – CF
Derek Johnson – RF/C
Richie Derbak – C
Pitching Staff
Starting Pitchers
Josh Mueller – Game 1
Brian Morrell – Game 2
Mike Recchia – Game 3
Bullpen
Ryan Green
Richie Derbak
Matt Miller
Sean Estand
Manager
Casey Spears
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