BASE | Seven Gaels Receive League-Best, 10 All-WCC Awards
5/21/2019 1:46:00 PM | Baseball
SAN BRUNO, Calif. – All season long, Saint Mary's baseball players have been producing eye-popping numbers and their efforts were certainly awarded as seven players earned 10 All-West Coast Conference awards – the most of any team in the league. The Gaels' Tyler Thornton was named Freshman of the Year along with three players on the All-First Team, one on the Second Team, three Honorable Mentions, and two on the All-Freshman Team.
Freshman of the Year
Tyler Thornton: Thornton amassed a 9-2 record in 12 starts (70.1 innings pitched) and his 2.56 earned run average is the lowest of any starter on the team. He is ranked 11th in the country and first in the West Coast Conference in hits allowed per nine innings (5.37) and his nine wins are tied for the 12th-most in the nation (first in the WCC). Him and his teammate Carlos Lomeli (also nine wins) have collected the most wins by any Gael pitcher since Martin Agosta's nine favorable decision in 2012 (fourth-most since 1968). Thornton's 10.88 strikeouts per nine are ranked third in the WCC and his WHIP of 0.97 is also third in the conference (28th in the nation). The San Diego native has twice been named the WCC Pitcher of the Week and both times were in a span of three weeks. Furthermore, he went on a streak earlier this season of three starts without allowing an earned run (22.1 innings in total), allowing just six hits during that time while striking out 26 batters.
All-WCC First Team
Tyler Thornton: Same as above
Joe Vranesh: Vranesh has put up dominant offensive numbers all season long. He is currently second on the team with a .340 batting average which is ranked sixth in the conference. He has also produced a career-best, 14 homeruns which is ranked 4th in the WCC. He is also ranked top-5 in the conference in runs scored (51 – second), runs batted in (53 – third), his .660 slugging percentage tops the conference and is ranked 39th nationally, and he is also tied for the team-lead with Austin Chauvin with three triples. The junior is just coming off of a 19-game hitting streak and a 24-game streak of reaching safely. In fact, there were only five games out of 53 this season in which he did not reach base. Vranesh also leads the team in OPS (1.107) and on-base percentage (.447), and was named the Collegiate Baseball National Player of the Week on May 6 which coincided with a WCC Player of the Week award.
Ken Waldichuk: Waldichuk was the WCC Pitcher of the Week three times this season and the Collegiate Baseball National Pitcher of the Week once for good reason: the junior left-hander posted a 3.71 ERA in 14 starts while posting a 5-5 record. In 87.1 innings pitched, he allowed just 68 hits while striking out 96 batters. He also posted a WHIP of 1.13 and held opposing batters to a .216 batting average.
All-WCC Second Team
Carlos Lomeli: Lomeli is fresh off of his second WCC Pitcher of the Week Award after shutting down Pepperdine for 8.0 innings in Malibu. So far this season, he has produced a 9-2 record and a 3.11 ERA in 81.0 innings pitched. He also recorded the first complete-game shutout of his career on April 8 against Portland which gave him his first WCC weekly honor. Lomeli has been pitching very well as of late, giving up just two runs and 10 hits in his last 21.0 innings of work.
Honorable Mentions
Kevin Milam: Milam has once again put together big numbers both at the plate and on the mound: the junior is currently batting .317 with 41 RBI, 17 doubles, and seven homeruns. He has posted a .508 slugging percentage and .925 OPS (.417 on-base percentage). Milam has also appeared 16 times on the mound this season (six starts), posting a 5.94 ERA in 50.0 innings pitched. He has significantly lowered this figure recently however, allowing no runs and just four hits in his last three appearances (4.1 IP). Since converting to the bullpen, he has posted a 2.45 ERA, allowing just five earned runs in 18.1 innings while racking up 25 strikeouts and allowing only six walks. Milam earned the very first WCC Player of the Week Award on February 18 after a stellar opening series against Washington State.
Ryan Novis: Novis has been reliable at the plate all season long, compiling a .335 batting average in a team-leading, 212 at-bats. He has driven in 40 runs and has seven doubles, two triples, and a pair of homeruns. Novis also leads the team with 10 stolen bases in 12 attempts and is one of just three players to have started all 53 games this season (also Vranesh and Milam). He was named the WCC Player of the Week on March 18.
Bryce Willits: Willits burst onto the scene this year and quickly won over the starting role at third base. He leads the team with a .341 batting average and, in 138 at-bats, has collected 14 RBI, nine doubles, and two homeruns. He also has a .397 on-base percentage and an .846 OPS (.449 slugging). Willits put together two sizeable hitting streaks this year, reaching both 11 and 10 games.
All-Freshman Team: Tyler Thornton, Bryce Willits
Thornton: Same as above
Willits: Same as above
2019 All-West Coast Conference Team
2019 West Coast Conference Player of the Year
Brock Hale, BYU
2019 West Coast Conference Pitcher of the Year
Codie Paiva, LMU
2019 West Coast Conference Freshman of the Year
Tyler Thornton, Saint Mary's
2019 West Coast Conference Defensive Player of the Year
Nick Sogard, LMU
2019 West Coast Conference Coach of the Year
Mike Littlewood, BYU
2019 All-WCC Baseball First Team
2019 All-WCC Baseball Second Team
2019 WCC Baseball Honorable Mention
Joe Caparis, Pepperdine; Adam Kerner, San Diego; Brett Harris, Gonzaga; Noah Hill, BYU; Brian Hsu, BYU; Mac Lardner, Gonzaga; Eric Lex, Santa Clara; Shane McGuire, San Diego; Chris McCready, San Diego; Kevin Milam, Saint Mary's; Guthrie Morrison, Gonzaga; Chris Murphy, San Diego; Ryan Novis, Saint Mary's; Scott Parker, San Francisco; Alex Pham, San Francisco; Kevin Sandri, Pacific; Brandon Shearer, LMU; Bryce Willits, Saint Mary's; Jack Winkler, San Francisco; Wyatt Young, Pepperdine
2019 All-WCC Baseball Freshman Team
Freshman of the Year
Tyler Thornton: Thornton amassed a 9-2 record in 12 starts (70.1 innings pitched) and his 2.56 earned run average is the lowest of any starter on the team. He is ranked 11th in the country and first in the West Coast Conference in hits allowed per nine innings (5.37) and his nine wins are tied for the 12th-most in the nation (first in the WCC). Him and his teammate Carlos Lomeli (also nine wins) have collected the most wins by any Gael pitcher since Martin Agosta's nine favorable decision in 2012 (fourth-most since 1968). Thornton's 10.88 strikeouts per nine are ranked third in the WCC and his WHIP of 0.97 is also third in the conference (28th in the nation). The San Diego native has twice been named the WCC Pitcher of the Week and both times were in a span of three weeks. Furthermore, he went on a streak earlier this season of three starts without allowing an earned run (22.1 innings in total), allowing just six hits during that time while striking out 26 batters.
All-WCC First Team
Tyler Thornton: Same as above
Joe Vranesh: Vranesh has put up dominant offensive numbers all season long. He is currently second on the team with a .340 batting average which is ranked sixth in the conference. He has also produced a career-best, 14 homeruns which is ranked 4th in the WCC. He is also ranked top-5 in the conference in runs scored (51 – second), runs batted in (53 – third), his .660 slugging percentage tops the conference and is ranked 39th nationally, and he is also tied for the team-lead with Austin Chauvin with three triples. The junior is just coming off of a 19-game hitting streak and a 24-game streak of reaching safely. In fact, there were only five games out of 53 this season in which he did not reach base. Vranesh also leads the team in OPS (1.107) and on-base percentage (.447), and was named the Collegiate Baseball National Player of the Week on May 6 which coincided with a WCC Player of the Week award.
Ken Waldichuk: Waldichuk was the WCC Pitcher of the Week three times this season and the Collegiate Baseball National Pitcher of the Week once for good reason: the junior left-hander posted a 3.71 ERA in 14 starts while posting a 5-5 record. In 87.1 innings pitched, he allowed just 68 hits while striking out 96 batters. He also posted a WHIP of 1.13 and held opposing batters to a .216 batting average.
All-WCC Second Team
Carlos Lomeli: Lomeli is fresh off of his second WCC Pitcher of the Week Award after shutting down Pepperdine for 8.0 innings in Malibu. So far this season, he has produced a 9-2 record and a 3.11 ERA in 81.0 innings pitched. He also recorded the first complete-game shutout of his career on April 8 against Portland which gave him his first WCC weekly honor. Lomeli has been pitching very well as of late, giving up just two runs and 10 hits in his last 21.0 innings of work.
Honorable Mentions
Kevin Milam: Milam has once again put together big numbers both at the plate and on the mound: the junior is currently batting .317 with 41 RBI, 17 doubles, and seven homeruns. He has posted a .508 slugging percentage and .925 OPS (.417 on-base percentage). Milam has also appeared 16 times on the mound this season (six starts), posting a 5.94 ERA in 50.0 innings pitched. He has significantly lowered this figure recently however, allowing no runs and just four hits in his last three appearances (4.1 IP). Since converting to the bullpen, he has posted a 2.45 ERA, allowing just five earned runs in 18.1 innings while racking up 25 strikeouts and allowing only six walks. Milam earned the very first WCC Player of the Week Award on February 18 after a stellar opening series against Washington State.
Ryan Novis: Novis has been reliable at the plate all season long, compiling a .335 batting average in a team-leading, 212 at-bats. He has driven in 40 runs and has seven doubles, two triples, and a pair of homeruns. Novis also leads the team with 10 stolen bases in 12 attempts and is one of just three players to have started all 53 games this season (also Vranesh and Milam). He was named the WCC Player of the Week on March 18.
Bryce Willits: Willits burst onto the scene this year and quickly won over the starting role at third base. He leads the team with a .341 batting average and, in 138 at-bats, has collected 14 RBI, nine doubles, and two homeruns. He also has a .397 on-base percentage and an .846 OPS (.449 slugging). Willits put together two sizeable hitting streaks this year, reaching both 11 and 10 games.
All-Freshman Team: Tyler Thornton, Bryce Willits
Thornton: Same as above
Willits: Same as above
2019 All-West Coast Conference Team
2019 West Coast Conference Player of the Year
Brock Hale, BYU
2019 West Coast Conference Pitcher of the Year
Codie Paiva, LMU
2019 West Coast Conference Freshman of the Year
Tyler Thornton, Saint Mary's
2019 West Coast Conference Defensive Player of the Year
Nick Sogard, LMU
2019 West Coast Conference Coach of the Year
Mike Littlewood, BYU
2019 All-WCC Baseball First Team
| Name | Yr. | Pos. | School |
| Jon Allen | Sr. | OF | San Francisco |
| Chris Clements | Sr. | RHP | Portland |
| Jackson Cluff | So. | IF | BYU |
| James Free | Jr. | C | Pacific |
| Brock Hale | Sr. | OF | BYU |
| Alek Jacob | So. | RHP | Gonzaga |
| Troy Johnston | Jr. | OF | Gonzaga |
| Codie Paiva | Sr. | RHP | LMU |
| Ripken Reyes | Gr. | IF | San Diego |
| Nick Sogard | Jr. | IF | LMU |
| Tyler Thornton | Fr. | RHP | Saint Mary's |
| Joe Vranesh | Jr. | OF | Saint Mary's |
| Ken Waldichuk | Jr. | LHP | Saint Mary's |
2019 All-WCC Baseball Second Team
| Name | Yr. | Pos. | School |
| Rob Emery | Jr. | C | San Francisco |
| Trevin Esquerra | Jr. | IF | LMU |
| Nick Frasso | So. | RHP | LMU |
| Jeff Houghtby | Sr. | IF | San Diego |
| Carlos Lomelli | So. | RHP | Saint Mary's |
| Easton Lucas | Jr. | LHP | Pepperdine |
| Mitch McIntyre | So. | OF/LHP | BYU |
| Nick Nyquist | Sr. | IF | Gonzaga |
| Ryan Shreve | Jr. | RHP | Pacific |
| Chad Stevens | So. | IF | Portland |
| Tyler Villaroman | Jr. | OF | San Francisco |
| Easton Walker | So. | RHP | BYU |
| Ernie Yake | So. | IF | Gonzaga |
2019 WCC Baseball Honorable Mention
Joe Caparis, Pepperdine; Adam Kerner, San Diego; Brett Harris, Gonzaga; Noah Hill, BYU; Brian Hsu, BYU; Mac Lardner, Gonzaga; Eric Lex, Santa Clara; Shane McGuire, San Diego; Chris McCready, San Diego; Kevin Milam, Saint Mary's; Guthrie Morrison, Gonzaga; Chris Murphy, San Diego; Ryan Novis, Saint Mary's; Scott Parker, San Francisco; Alex Pham, San Francisco; Kevin Sandri, Pacific; Brandon Shearer, LMU; Bryce Willits, Saint Mary's; Jack Winkler, San Francisco; Wyatt Young, Pepperdine
2019 All-WCC Baseball Freshman Team
| Name | Pos. | School |
| James Arakawa | OF/IF | Pacific |
| Tommy Delgado | OF | LMU |
| Cody Jefferis | IF | San Diego |
| Trevor Kniskern | RHP | Pepperdine |
| Reid McLaughlin | RHP | BYU |
| Trayce Tammaro | IF | Portland |
| Tyler Thornton | RHP | Saint Mary's |
| Mason Wells | LHP | Gonzaga |
| Bryce Willits | IF | Saint Mary's |
| Wyatt Young | IF | Pepperdine |
Players Mentioned
INF
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