FHSU SPORTS INFORMATION DEPARTMENT
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Fort Hays State landed seven players on the 2016 All-MIAA Baseball Team. Connor Ross earned second team honors in the outfield while Austin Unrein was a third team selection at utility. Honorable mention selections went to Alex Weiss (3B), Giles Fox (RP), Nick Hammeke (SS), Caleb Cherryholmes (OF), and Joe Mapes (DH).
Ross earned All-MIAA honors for the second straight year after an honorable mention selection last year. Ross led the team in extra-base hits this year with 26, which included 14 doubles, four triples, and eight home runs. He scored a team-high 50 runs and had 41 RBI while ranking third on the team in batting average at .361. Ross started all 49 games in the outfield for FHSU.
Unrein earned All-MIAA Third Team honors at utility for the second straight year. Unrein was right there with Ross in offensive production, ranking second on the team in batting average (.362) and extra-base hits (25). He finished with a team-high 15 doubles while adding nine home runs and a triple. He also led the team in RBI with 47. On the mound, Unrein was an asset in late relief finishing with two saves and a win. He had a 4.80 ERA with 13 strikeouts in 15 innings pitched. Unrein started every game in the Tiger lineup, primarily at first base, and made nine appearances in relief.
Weiss led the team in batting average his first year with the Tigers, earning honorable mention honors at third base. He batted .367 with seven doubles, four home runs, 40 RBI, and 36 runs scored. He started all 49 games for the season.
Fox served as the team’s closer for the majority of the season, earning six saves in his final year to grab an honorable mention selection. He added a 2-1 record with a 4.71 ERA, striking out nearly one batter per inning with 28 in 28.2 innings pitched. He tied for a team-high 18 appearances out of the bullpen.
Hammeke earned the first all-conference honor of his career at shortstop. The junior had a team-best 14 game hitting streak and reached base safely in 29 consecutive games at one point in the season. He started all 49 games and finished with a .285 batting average, along with 10 doubles, one home run, 25 RBI, and 30 runs scored to garner the honorable mention selection.
Cherryholmes earned his first all-conference nod as a Tiger, grabbing an honorable mention selection in the outfield. Cherryholmes finished the year with a .328 batting average, nine doubles, eight home runs, 37 RBI, and 44 runs scored. He was hit by pitches 17 times, pushing his career total as a Tiger to 39 to rank second in school history for a career. He started all 48 games he played this year.
Mapes earned an honorable mention selection at designated hitter. Primarily a pitcher for the first two years of his career, Mapes helped the Tigers at the plate this year by hitting .335 with eight doubles, a team-high 11 home runs, 45 RBI, and 33 runs scored. He led the team in on-base percentage (.445), helped by a team-high 30 walks for the season. He played in 47 games and started 46.
Below is the 2016 All-MIAA Baseball Team
Player of the Year: David Gauntt, Sr, C, Washburn
Pitcher of the Year: Nick Silva, Jr., P, Washburn
Freshman of the Year: Zach Parish, P, Northeastern State
Coach of the Year: Kyle Crookes, Central Missouri
First Team All-MIAA
Pitcher: Ethan Westphal, Jr., Central Missouri^
Pitcher: Tyler Stubblefield, Jr., Emporia State^
Pitcher: Payton Walker, Sr., Missouri Southern^
Pitcher: Nick Silva, Jr., Washburn^
Relief Pitcher: Grant Gavin, Jr., Central Missouri
Catcher: David Gauntt, Sr., Washburn
First Base: Evan Koehler, Sr., Emporia State
Second Base: David Glaude, Jr., Missouri Western
Shortstop: Landon Mason, Jr., Missouri Western
Third Base: Kyle Carnahan, Sr., Washburn
Outfield: Landon Eason, Jr., Central Oklahoma
Outfield: Dalton Wheat, Sr., Emporia State
Outfield: Wes Degner, So., Lindenwood
Designated Hitter: Jesse Rall, Sr., Missouri Southern
Utility: Jon Kamies, Jr., Central Oklahoma
^=Four pitchers due to tie in the voting
Second Team All-MIAA
Pitcher: Carlos D’Armas, Sr., Central Missouri
Pitcher: Connor Law, Jr., Lindenwood
Pitcher: Zach Parish, Fr., Northeastern State
Relief Pitcher: Garrett Brummett, Sr., Emporia State
Catcher: Eric Kirkpatrick, Sr., Northeastern State
First Base: Bennett Oliver, Sr., Central Missouri
Second Base: Christian Binger, Sr., Southwest Baptist
Shortstop: Nathan Prindle, Sr., Lindenwood
Third Base: Caleb Sneed, So., Southwest Baptist
Outfield: Connor Ross, Sr., Fort Hays State
Outfield: Chris Hoffman, Sr., Missouri Southern
Outfield: Nick Gawley, Jr., Missouri Western
Designated Hitter: Jake Alexander, Sr., Central Missouri*
Designated Hitter: Isaac Hellbusch, Sr., Central Oklahoma*
Utility: Richie Gorski, Jr., Missouri Southern
*=Two designated hitters due to tie in the voting
Third Team All-MIAA
Pitcher: Daulton Leiker, Sr., Central Oklahoma
Pitcher: Richard Peoples, Jr., Missouri Western
Pitcher: Anthony Caenepeel, Jr., Northwest Missouri
Relief Pitcher: Nikko Pablo, Jr., Northwest Missouri
Catcher: Matt Smith, Jr., Missouri Southern
First Base: Andrew Vogelbaugh, So., Pittsburg State
Second Base: Jake Dyer, So., Central Oklahoma
Shortstop: Riley Krane, Jr., Washburn
Third Base: Jeremy Alvarado, Jr., Missouri Western
Outfield: Wade Hanna, Jr., Emporia State
Outfield: Tyler Sutherland, Jr., Missouri Southern
Outfield: Parker Gibson, Sr., Washburn
Designated Hitter: Derek Francis, Sr., Emporia State
Utility: Austin Unrein, Sr., Fort Hays State
Honorable Mention
Pitcher: Tyler House, Central Missouri; Jordan Plank, Emporia State; Brendan Feldmann, Lindenwood; Brendan Kleekamp, Lindenwood; Cody Hutchinson, Missouri Southern; Evan Jones, Missouri Western; Alex Clavet, Missouri Western; George Brandecker, Pittsburg State.
Relief Pitcher: Lucas Williams, Central Missouri; Gibson Russ, Central Oklahoma; Giles Fox, Fort Hays State; Preston Bailey, Missouri Western; John Watson, Nebraska-Kearney; Zack Hammock, Northeastern State; Carson Smith, Northwest Missouri; Greg Mason, Washburn; Jaren Kutzke, Washburn.
Catcher: Ryan Sosnowski, Lindenwood; Hunter Hisky, Southwest Baptist.
First Base: Mike Ehrhard, Lindenwood; Kyle Honeycutt, Nebraska-Kearney; Bryce Davenport, Northeastern State; Kevin Handzlik, Northwest Missouri.
Second Base: Jacob Bryant, Missouri Southern; Matt Salamon, Nebraska-Kearney; Charles Sims, Northeastern State; Ozzie Adams, Northwest Missouri
Shortstop: Levi Ashmore, Emporia State; Nick Hammeke, Fort Hays State; Shane Sharkey, Nebraska-Kearney; Sean Murley, Southwest Baptist.
Third Base: Daniel LaMunyon, Emporia State; Alex Weiss, Fort Hays State; Jacob Boylan, Pittsburg State.
Outfield: Dylan Farrell, Central Missouri; Derek Cornell, Central Missouri; Matt Elliott, Central Missouri; Caleb Cherryholmes, Fort Hays State; Mike Million, Lincoln; Mason Price, Lincoln; Drew Quinones, Lindenwood; Kody Matthews, Missouri Western; Pate Katechis, Nebraska-Kearney; Cody Begovich, Northeastern State; Christian Arnold, Pittsburg State; Jeff Bouchard, Southwest Baptist.
Designated Hitter: Joe Mapes, Fort Hays State; Brandon Downs, Missouri Western; Dallas Schramm, Nebraska-Kearney.
Utility: Orencio Fisher, Missouri Western; Lance Barkley, Washburn.