May 6, 2008

BASEBALL: Eleven Lutes Receive All-NWC Recognition

A total of 11 Pacific Lutheran baseball players were listed when the Northwest Conference named the all-conference teams on Monday. Four Lutes earned first team honors, three were listed on the second team, and four more earned honorable mention.

Geoff Gabler - 2008 NWC batting champion

First team honors went to outfielders Geoff Gabler and Ryan Aratani, as well as starting pitchers Robert Bleecker and Trey Watt. Gabler and Aratani finished first and second, respectively, in the Northwest Conference in batting this season, with Gabler riding a spectacular second-half offensive streak to a .429 average and Aratani closing out a terrific debut season for the Lutes with a .397 average. Bleecker finished the season undefeated for the Lutes with a 6-0 record, and his 2.51 earned run average was the lowest among conference pitchers with at least one inning pitched per team game. Watt concluded his sophomore season with a 3.30 earned run average and a 6-1 record, and his 56 strikeouts tied for most in the conference. For all four it was their first all-conference recognition.

Second-team honors went to junior catcher Brandon Sales, senior relief pitcher Jeremy Ellison and junior relief pitcher Hunter Simpson. Sales finished his junior season with a .388 average, 14 doubles and 31 runs batted in. Ellison completed his senior season in which he had a 0.71 earned run average in 11.1 innings pitched, giving up only six hits and the first earned run of his PLU career. Simpson finished the year with a 3.62 earned run average in 32.1 innings pitched.

Honorable mention went to junior first baseman Jordan Post, junior third baseman Matt Akridge, sophomore outfielder Josh Takayoshi and senior starting pitcher Brett Brunner.

You can read the entire all-conference list at http://www.nwcsports.com/sports/baseball/All-NWC.htm.

- PLU -