Courtesy: Fresno State
FROM CBB NEWS SOURCE
HONOLULU, HI – The Western Athletic Conference today released its 2009 all-WAC baseball teams and postseason awards as selected by the league’s head coaches. Fresno State senior third baseman Tom Mendonca was named the Player of the Year and San Jose State senior Ryan Shopshire earned Pitcher of the Year honors. The Freshman of the Year award went to Hawai‘i outfielder Kolten Wong. San Jose State’s Sam Piraro was named WAC Coach of the Year.
Mendonca, a junior from Turlock, Calif. (Turlock HS), batted .367 in conference play and led the WAC in home runs with 24 earning First Team and WAC Player of the Year. The junior was also named the 2009 Preseason WAC Player of the year.
Shopshire, a senior from Anaheim Hills, Calif., Calif. (Orange Lutheran HS), earned the WAC’s Pitcher of the Year award, becoming the first Spartan to the honor. He is the first San Jose State individual to pick up a top conference award since Junior Ruiz was the 2000 WAC Player of the Year. Shopshire went a perfect 4-0 over five league starts, including a seven-inning shutout with a career-high 15 strikeouts in a 2-0 home victory over rival Fresno State on April 25.
Wong, a native of Hilo, Hawai‘i (Kamehameha-Hawai‘i), batted .424 in WAC play, finishing with 29 RBI, 15 runs, five homers, two triples and 12 doubles. He’s UH’s first WAC Freshman of the Year since Andrew McNally won West Division Freshman of the Year honors in 1993.
Piraro, in his 22nd campaign in charge of the Spartans, was honored as the WAC Coach of the Year for the fourth time. Piraro has led his alma mater to a 39-18 overall win-loss record thus far in 2009. San Jose State reached its third WAC crown, all under Piraro, and first since 2000. The Spartans have eclipsed the 30-win plateau for a fourth straight year, have guaranteed themselves a winning overall record for the fourth season in a row, and finished with a winning WAC mark for the second consecutive year as well, at 15-7, their best since 2002.
2009 ALL-WAC HONORS
Pitcher of the Year: Ryan Shopshire, Sr., San Jose State
Player of the Year: Tom Mendonca, Jr., Fresno State
Freshman of the Year: Kolten Wong, Hawai‘i
Coach of the Year: Sam Piraro, San Jose State
FIRST TEAM All-WAC:
Outfield – Tim Wheeler, Jr., Sacramento State
Outfield – Kolten Wong, Fr., Hawai‘i
Outfield – Devon Dageford, Jr., Louisiana Tech
Outfield – Dusty Robinson, Fr., Fresno State
First Base – Kevin Macdonald, Jr., Hawai‘i
Second Base – Danny Muno, So., Fresno State
Third Base – Tom Mendonca, Jr., Fresno State
Co-Shortstop – Kyle Bellows, Jr., San Jose State
Co-Shortstop – Bryan Marquez, Sr., New Mexico State
Catcher – Travis Simas, Sr., Nevada
Designated Hitter – Nick Melino, Fr., Nevada
Utility – Matt Bowman, Sr., Nevada
Starting Pitcher – Ryan Shopshire, Sr., San Jose State
Starting Pitcher – Jayson Kramer, Sr., Hawai‘i
Starting Pitcher – David Berner, Sr., San Jose State
Relief Pitcher – Holden Sprague, Sr., Fresno State
SECOND TEAM All-WAC:
Outfield – Jason Martin, So., San Jose State
Outfield – Nate Shaver, Jr., New Mexico State
Outfield – Westley Moss, Jr., Nevada
Outfield – Patrick Thomas, Sr., Louisiana Tech
First Base – Shaun Kort, Jr., Nevada
Second Base – Hunter Martinez, Sr., Sacramento State
Third Base – Corey Valine, Jr., San Jose State
Shortstop – Greg Garcia, So., Hawai‘i
Catcher – Jeff Farnham, Sr., New Mexico State
Designated Hitter – Mike Sodders, Jr., New Mexico State
Utility – Chris Kersten, Sr., Louisiana Tech
Starting Pitcher – Daniel Simon, Jr., New Mexico State
Starting Pitcher – Jesse Darrah, Fr., Sacramento State
Starting Pitcher – Derek Achelpohl, Sr., Nevada
Relief Pitcher – Daniel Tinlin, Jr., Nevada
