Longaker named Player of the Year; BU lands nine on all-NSAA first team
Junior shortstop Kory Longaker (Shoreline, Wash.) has been named the NSAA Player of the Year and was one of nine first team all-NSAA selection.
JAMESTOWN, N.D. -- Bellevue University junior shortstop Kory Longaker has been named the North Star Athletic Association Baseball Player of the Year while nine Bruins secured first team all-NSAA honors, as announced by the league office on Thursday evening.
Additionally, BU saw three others represented on the all-NSAA second team, two on the Gold Glove team, and two more recognized as honorable mention all-NSAA.
Longaker had a terrific first season in a BU uniform providing a consistent presence atop the lineup and assuming the shortstop position after signing with the Bruins as an outfielder. He led the club in numerous categories, including; batting average (.399), on-base percentage (.464), runs (52), hits (77), and doubles (15). He also finished season on the team in extra-base hits (21), stolen bases (18), and total bases (109).
Other Bruins featured on the all-NSAA first team were catcher Travis Tanaka (.329/.399/.506, 18 XBH, 32 RBI), first baseman Riley Baasch (.331/.418/.674, 29 XBH, 55 RBI), outfielders Gary Dixon (.346/.412/.663, 18 XBH, 28 RBI) and Stuart Eurich (.352/.468/.604, 12 XBH, 26 RBI), designated hitter JT Patterson (.310/.397/.576, 19 XBH, 45 RBI), starting pitchers Reid Feeley (6-2, 2.80 ERA, 70 SO) and Stephen Knapp (5-2, 2.63 ERA, 62 SO), and reliever Max Dwyer (5 SV, 3.91 ERA, 33 SO).
Earning second team all-conference nods were outfielder Austin Alexander (.280/.329/.515, 14 XBH, 35 RBI) and starting pitchers Dylan Thorp (7-3, 3.38 ERA, 74 SO) and Jarrod Molnaa (5-0, 2.19 ERA, 37 SO). Third baseman Matt Evans and pitcher Colten Barnes were both recognized as honorable mention all-NSAA selections.
Baasch (first base) and Evans (third base) were BU's two representatives on the NSAA Gold Glove Team.
Bellevue wrapped up the regular season last weekend by taking three of four from Waldorf to improve their overall record to 33-21. With a 17-5 mark in NSAA the Bruins earned the second seed in this weekend's NSAA Tournament. BU opens the tournament tomorrow at 1 p.m. against seventh-seeded Valley City State University.