-Bryce Hayes, TLU Sports Information
(Seguin) – A conference leading twelve Texas Lutheran baseball players were recognized on the Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference (SCAC) All-Conference teams as voted upon by the league head coaches, the league announced Friday.
For the third time in four seasons, the Player of the Year title will find its home in Seguin, as junior Joe Jimenez earned the honor. He is the third to earn the honor since 2018, joining Riley Schaefer (2018) and Tyler Cauley (2021).
Jimenez leads the Bulldogs with 15 home runs, 67 RBIs, and .770 slugging percentage. He leads the conference in all three categories and ranks in the top five in the conference in three more categories including: tied for second in hits (57), third in runs (48), and fifth in batting average (.385). Nationally, Jimenez ranks fourth in RBIs, fifth in home runs and tenth in total bases (114). In league play, Jimenez is batting .375 with five home runs and 30 RBIs. Jimenez’s 67 RBIs is tied for third most in a single season in TLU Baseball history with Jeremy Macklin’s 2009 season – only trailing the 1998 (80) and 1999 (85) seasons of Aaron Merhoff. His RBI total is also in a tie for ninth in conference history.
In addition to Jimenez, Payton Dahl, Alec Sanchez, and Joe Burch were tabbed as first team All-SCAC performers. Aric Vasquez, Randy Huerta, Blake Cappadona, and Blade Strzelczyk were honored on the second team. Brendan Beard, Zach Longshore, Holden Philippus, and Tyler Post were named All-SCAC honorable mention.
Burch ranks second in the league with seven wins this season. Overall, he is 7-3 with a 4.11 ERA in 11 starts. He has racked up a SCAC leading 76 strikeouts in 72.1 innings pitched. Burch was named SCAC Pitcher of the Week two times this season.
Dahl is having a career year, sitting in fifth place in the SCAC in stolen bases with 19 on the season while maintaining a .372 batting average in conference play. He is hitting .337 on the season making for third best on the team.
Sanchez is hitting .309 in 33 games this season. He has tallied seven doubles, one home run, and drove in 19 runs.
Vasquez leads the team in doubles (11) and is tied for second in triples (3). He is hitting .314 with one home run and 27 RBIs.
Huerta leads the team in stolen bases (35), triples (4), walks (29), and runs scored (49). Huerta enters the SCAC Tournament one stolen base away from the TLU baseball single season record. Huerta leads the SCAC and is tied for third nationally in stolen bases.
Cappadona, a utility player for the Bulldogs, made the second team as an outfielder. He is second on the team in hits (45), third in walks (24) and stolen bases (18) and fourth in runs scored (38).
Strzelczyk, also a utility player for the Bulldogs made the second team as a relief pitcher, leads the SCAC and is seventh in the nation with nine saves. On the year he is 1-1 with a 3.63 ERA. The junior has fanned 22 while only walking seven in 17.1 innings pitched.
Beard repeats as an All-SCAC Honorable mention selection, ranking fourth on the team with 11 appearances. He is 3-1 with a 3.03 ERA in 29.2 innings pitched. He also collected one save so far this season. He has fanned 34 and issued just 13 walks while holding opponents to a .227 batting average.
Longshore had an impressive freshman campaign as he ranks fourth in the SCAC with five wins. He is 5-1 on the season in eight starts – striking out 42 batters in 44.1 innings of work.
Philippus is hitting .345 in 35 games this season – ranking second on the team. He has tallied nine doubles, one triple, while driving in 26 runs.
Post, a First Team All-SCAC selection last season, is second in the conference in RBIs (48) and fourth in home runs (8). He is hitting .306 on the season and is tied for third on the squad with 44 hits.