Mullins, McFarland highlight all-MCAC baseball team
Nate Mullins named Player of the Year; Kody McFarland earns Pitcher of the Year honors; Duane Monlux garners Coach of the Year accolades.
BELLEVUE, Neb. -- Junior third baseman Nate Mullins was named the Midlands Collegiate Athletic Conference Player of the Year and senior right-handed pitcher Kody McFarland was named the MCAC Pitcher of the Year, as six Bruins were named to the all-MCAC first team, in an announcement made today in conjunction with the 2013 MCAC Baseball Tournament being played in Omaha.
In addition, Duane Monlux earned MCAC Coach of the Year honors after guiding Bellevue (44-8-1/21-3 MCAC) to the MCAC regular season title for the second-straight season and a No. 9 national ranking.
Senior second basemen Andy Smolinski, senior catcher Ryan Knutz, senior outfielder Tanner Moore, and junior right-handed pitcher Robert Greco joined Mullins and McFarland on the all-MCAC first team.
Six Bruins were named to the 2013 MCAC Gold Glove Team, including Mullins, Moore, first basemen Brian Embery, short stop Beau Dahmen, outfielder Dusty Kerns, and left-handed pitcher Michael Calderon.
Bruins earning second team honors included Embery, Calderon, outfielder/relief pitcher Kyle Kinman, and left-handed pitcher Ricky Holm.
Mullins leads the Bruins with a .392 batting average, 49 RBIs, eight home runs and a .614 slugging percentage.
McFarland, Knutz, Moore and Greco are all two-time first team all-MCAC honoreees.
McFarland is 7-1 on the season with a 2.01 ERA and 85 strikeouts. He has recorded three shutouts on the season.
The ninth-ranked Bruins (44-8-1) will await word of their post-season fate when the NAIA Baseball National Championship Opening Round pairings are announced on Sunday, May 5.
Player of the Year: Nate Mullins, Bellevue
Pitcher of the Year: Kody McFarland, Bellevue
Freshman of the Year: CJ Gregory, Oklahoma Wesleyan
Newcomer of the Year: Aaron Conyers, York
Coach of the Year: Duane Monlux, Bellevue
All-MCAC First Team
C - Ryan Knutz, Bellevue
C - Tyler Helms, York
1B - Jerett Hary, Oklahoma Wesleyan
2B - Andy Smolinski, Bellevue
3B - Nate Mullins, Bellevue
SS - Isidro Carrizoza, York
IF - Zach Garcia, York
DH - Nick Palese, Oklahoma Wesleyan
OF - Tanner Moore, Bellevue
OF - Brady Brashier, Central Baptist
OF - Alec Abend, York
OF - Matt Owen, York
SP - Kody McFarland, Bellevue
SP - Robert Greco, Bellevue
SP - Aaron Convers, York
SP - Tyler Molder, York
RP - CJ Gregory, Oklahoma Wesleyan
All-MCAC Second Team
C - Brandon Pizzo, Waldorf
1B - Trevor Ramos, York
2B - Jose Ruiz, Oklahoma Wesleyan
3B - Jake Palese, Oklahoma Wesleyan
SS - Ricky Vanderpool, College of the Ozarks
IF - Brian Embery, Bellevue
DH - Troy Richter, Central Christian
OF - Kyle Kinman, Bellevue
OF - Myle Hiebert, Central Baptist
OF - Chris McElderry, Oklahoma Wesleyan
OF - Cody Riley, Oklahoma Wesleyan
SP - Michael Calderon, Bellevue
SP - Ricky Holm, Bellevue
SP - Josh Knoll, York
SP - Thomas Korn, York
RP - Kyle Kinman, Bellevue
MCAC Gold Glove Team
C - Tyler Helms, York
1B - Brian Embery, Bellevue
2B - Josh Nuyten, York
3B - Nate Mullins, Bellevue
SS - Beau Dahmen, Bellevue
LF - Tanner Moore, Bellevue
CF - Tevin Padgett, Waldorf
RF - Dusty Kerns, Bellevue
P - Michael Calderon, Bellevue