Walker takes home top OUA honours, five Badgers named Conference All-Stars
HAMILTON, Ont. - Ontario University Athletics (OUA) is pleased to honour Brock Badgers outfielder Mike Walker (Guelph, Ont.) and Toronto Varsity Blues pitcher Tyler Wilson (Kitchener, Ont.) as its most valuable student-athletes during the 2009 baseball season.
Walker, a fifth-year financial economics major, had one of the best seasons at the plate in OUA history. The KR3 Custom Bats OUA most valuable hitter batted .468 and had an on-base percentage of .620. He also had a slugging percentage of .580. Walker also scored 12 times, and drove in 10.Walker is also an OUA first-team all-star for the second time. He is the first Brock player to win the OUA most valuable hitter award since Adam Vella (Burlington, Ont.) in 2004.
Wilson was one of the main reasons the Varsity Blues advanced to the post-season for the first time in three seasons. The graduate student has a 1.79 ERA over 45 1/3 innings, striking out 20. He started six games and made one appearance in relief. It is the second straight season and third time in the past four years a Toronto student-athlete has won the OUA most valuable pitcher award. Marek Deska (Mississauga, Ont.) took the honour last season, and Jake Gallo (Toronto) was given the award in 2006.
The top rookie of 2009 is pitcher Andrew Greenberg (Richmond Hill, Ont.) of the Wilfrid Laurier Golden Hawks. The business student has a 2.23 ERA over 31 2/3 innings, striking out 12 in seven appearances. It marks back-to-back rookie of the year awards for Laurier student-athletes. Ryan Panas (Toronto) took the award last year.
Mike Lumley of the Western Mustangs is the 2009 coach of the year. Lumley led the Mustangs to an OUA-best 13-5 record. The Mustangs scored 104 runs to lead OUA, and allowed a league-low 48 runs. He also coached two OUA first-team all-stars in second baseman Bruce Craine (Whitby, Ont.) and outfielder Andrew Thomson (Brampton, Ont.). This is Lumley’s fourth OUA coach of the year award. Craine is a three-time all-star.
Rounding out the OUA first-team all-stars are catcher Devlin Connelly (Toronto) and outfielder Chris Piccini (Mississauga, Ont.) of the McMaster Marauders; first baseman Craig Howse (Milton, Ont.) and starting pitcher Adam Reynolds (Guelph, Ont.) of the Guelph Gryphons; shortstop David Fallico (Toronto), third baseman Chris Dahiroc (Ajax, Ont.) and outfielder Pat Janssen (Toronto) of the Varsity Blues; designated hitter Mitchell Peragine (Hamilton, Ont.) of the Badgers; and relief pitcher Josh Robinson (Burlington, Ont.) of the Golden Hawks. Piccini is a two-time all-star.
The OUA second-team all-stars include catcher Chris Pittaway (Paris, Ont.) and designated hitterJesse Milanovich (Unionville, Ont.) of Laurier; first baseman Alex McGregor (Ottawa) of McMaster; second baseman Casey Burnie (Peterborough, Ont.), outfielder Matt Marinelli (Pickering, Ont.) and relief pitcher Matt Martinow (Simcoe, Ont.) of Brock; shortstop Mike Glinka (Kitchener, Ont.), third baseman Aaron Butler (Niagara Falls, Ont.) and outfielder Calen Hamelin (Windsor, Ont.) of Waterloo; outfielder Jamie Lekas (Toronto) of Toronto and starting pitcher Jordan Townshend(London, Ont.) of Western.
OUA baseball is supported by Wilson Sports Equipment of Canada.
2009 OUA BASEBALL MAJOR AWARD WINNERS
KR3 Custom Bats Most Valuable Hitter
Mike Walker (Guelph, Ont.) - Brock
Most Valuable Pitcher
Tyler Wilson (Kitchener, Ont.) – Toronto
Rookie of the Year
Andrew Greenberg (Richmond Hill, Ont.) – Laurier
Coach of the Year
Mike Lumley - Western
FIRST TEAM ALL-STARS
Catcher - Devlin Connelly (Toronto) - McMaster
First Base - Craig Howse (Milton, Ont.) - Guelph
Second Base - Bruce Craine (Whitby, Ont.) - Western
Shortstop - David Fallico (Toronto) - Toronto
Third Base - Chris Dahiroc (Ajax, Ont.) - Toronto
Outfield - Mike Walker (Guelph, Ont.) - Brock
Outfield - Andrew Thomson (Brampton, Ont.) - Western
Outfield - Pat Janssen* (Toronto) - Toronto
Outfield - Chris Piccini* (Mississauga, Ont.) - McMaster
Designated Hitter - Mitchell Peragine (Hamilton, Ont.) - Brock
Starting Pitcher - Adam Reynolds (Guelph, Ont.) - Guelph
Relief Pitcher - Josh Robinson (Burlington, Ont.) - Laurier
SECOND TEAM ALL-STARS
Catcher - Chris Pittaway (Paris, Ont.) - Laurier
First Base - Alex McGregor (Ottawa) - McMaster
Second Base - Casey Burnie (Peterborough, Ont.) - Brock
Shortstop - Mike Glinka (Kitchener, Ont.) - Waterloo
Third Base - Aaron Butler (Niagara Falls, Ont.) - Waterloo
Outfield - Calen Hamelin (Windsor, Ont.) - Waterloo
Outfield - Jamie Lekas* (Toronto) - Toronto
Outfield - Matt Marinelli* (Pickering, Ont.) - Brock
Designated Hitter - Jesse Milanovich (Unionville, Ont.) - Laurier
Starting Pitcher - Jordan Townshend (London, Ont.) - Western
Relief Pitcher - Matt Martinow (Simcoe, Ont.) - Brock
* - denotes tie
– OUA –
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