Patterson headlines OWH All-Nebraska Team
Six Bruins were named All-Nebraska by the Omaha World-Herald led by Honorary Captain JT Patterson.
OMAHA, Neb. -- The Bellevue University baseball team landed six players on the All-Nebraska Team as announced by the Omaha World-Herald. The team consists of players from all NAIA and non-NCAA Division I teams in the state of Nebraska.
Third baseman JT Patterson was named the honorary captain by the Omaha World-Herald, marking the ninth-straight season in which a Bruin has earned that distinction.
Joining Patterson on the All-Nebraska team were shortstop Kory Longaker, right-hander Stephen Knapp, first baseman Riley Baasch, catcher Travis Tanaka, and outfielder Tommy Hansen.
Patterson, a first team NAIA All-American and North Star Athletic Association Player of the Year, slashed .367/.467/.752 with 38 extra-base hits and 91 RBI on the season. Among his extra-base hit total was a BU-record 24 home runs while his RBI also set a new high-water mark for the program.
Longaker, a second team NAIA All-American and first team all-NSAA selection, posted a .376/.440/.659 line for the season with 45 extra-base hits, 58 RBI, and 19 stolen bases. His 29 doubles equaled a school record, matching Ozzy Gonzalez's 2015 total, and ranked second in the NAIA.
Knapp, an honorable mention NAIA All-American and NSAA Pitcher of the Year, pitched to a 10-3 record and posted a 2.67 ERA in 101 innings of work. His strikeout-to-walk ratio checked in just shy of 4:1 as he registered 55 punch outs and issued just 15 free passes to go along with a 1.010 WHIP and .230 opponent batting average.
Baasch, a first team all-NSAA honoree, hit .342/.425/.571 with 30 extra-base hits and 60 RBI on the season. He posted career-highs in runs (56), hits (79), and doubles (18) while matching his single-season RBI best. He will enter his senior season already in the top five in career runs scored, hits, doubled, home runs, RBI, and extra-base hits.
Tanaka, a first team all-NSAA selection, batted .370/.475/.495 as the Bruins' primary table-setter. From the leadoff spot, he registered 19 extra-base hits and 56 RBI while drawing more walks than strikeouts. His 80 base hits ranked third on the team while his 14 doubles were good for fourth.
Hansen, a first team all-NSAA pick, hit .328/.451/.497 for the year with 18 extra-base hits. He scored 53 runs, was successful in 12 of his 14 stolen base attempts, and drove in 39 runs on the year. Additionally, he was one of five Bruin regulars to end the season with more walks than strikeouts and committed just one error in 90 chances in the outfield.
Additionally, four Bruins earned honorable mention All-Nebraska honors. Jarrett Poh (9-0, 1.95 ERA, 69 SO, 83.0 IP), Austin Alexander (.320/.364/.538, 20 XBH, 47 RBI), Cody Banks (.354/.429/.487, 21 XBH, 61 Runs), and Stuart Eurich (.323/.407/.452, 19 XBH, 16 SB) were all cited by the Omaha World-Herald.
Bellevue concluded the 2019 season with a 48-16 overall record and 23-1 mark in NSAA play. The Bruins closed the year by winning 41 of their final 44 games en route to earning the program's 14th Avista NAIA World Series Appearance. BU claimed both the NSAA Regular-Season and Tournament titles before going on to win the NAIA Opening Round – Shreveport Bracket.