Seven Drovers Earn All-Conference Honors
OKLAHOMA CITY, Okla. – On Monday afternoon, the Sooner Athletic Conference announced their individual postseason honors and seven different Drovers earned all-conference recognitions. Peyton McDowall and Christopher Martinez earned first team All-SAC honors, while Ben Lawson, Gage Gaunt, Antonio Hrynkiw, Reed Butz, and Josh Harrel earned second team honors. Additionally, Hrynkiw and McDowall earned Gold Glove awards for their tremendous defense throughout the season.
1st TEAM
Christopher Martinez – 3B
Martinez has been one of the best freshmen in the NAIA all season long and through 50 games played, he owns a .377 batting average along with 63 hits, 53 runs scored, 15 doubles, 10 homeruns, and 50 runs batted in. The freshman holds a .473 on base percentage and an impressive .659 slugging percentage.
Peyton McDowall – 1B
McDowall earned his second consecutive All-SAC selection after putting together one of the best seasons in program history. The first baseman owns a ridiculous .404 batting average with 69 hits, 17, doubles, two triples, 14 homeruns, 53 runs scored, and 68 runs batted in. He reached base in .457 percent of his at bats and he produced a whopping .772 slugging percentage. Beyond being a tremendous offensive threat, McDowall is also one of the best defensive first basemen in the country and currently owns a nearly perfect .996 fielding percentage.
In his career at USAO, McDowall has appeared in 100 games and recorded an incredible batting average of .408, with 144 hits, 36 doubles, four triples, 26 homeruns, 112 runs scored, and 118 runs batted in.
2nd TEAM
Ben Lawson – OF
In his first in the green and gold, Lawson has immediately made an impact. In 44 games played, the athletic outfielder owns a .360 batting average, an incredible .497 on base percentage, and a .667 slugging percentage. Lawson is known to do whatever it takes to get on base, having been issued 24 walks and he was hit by eight pitches. He has recorded 41 hits, seven doubles, two triples, eight homeruns, 38 runs scored, and 33 runs batted in.
Gage Gaunt – 2B
Gaunt turned in yet another tremendous season, earning his first all-conference nod. The powerful second baseman has a .353 batting average with 59 hits, 16 doubles, three triples, 12 homers, 50 runs scored and 51 runs batted in. He was also sensational on defense and owns a .949 fielding percentage.
In his career at USAO, Gaunt has appeared in 134 games and recorded 151 hits, 43 doubles, five triples, 32 homeruns, 135 runs scored, and 121 runs batted in. Gaunt owns a .317 career batting average and he has also stolen 17 bases.
Tony Hrynkiw – C
Hrynkiw instantly made an impact with USAO this season, as one of the best defensive catchers, but he has also been a very productive bat in the lineup. The catcher owns a .304 batting average with 34 hits, seven doubles, a homerun, and 19 runs batted in.
Reed Butz – Pitcher
In his first season in green and gold, Butz settled in nicely and produced an impressive 9-2 record on the mound. Butz has started in 14 of his 15 appearances and he has constructed a 4.40 earned run average and he has struck out 87 batters in 75.2 innings of work.
Josh Harrel – Pitcher
Harrel has been one of the most reliable starting pitchers in the conference all season, producing a 7-3 record and a 3.72 ERA, with 50 strikeouts in 65.1 innings of work.
In his career at USAO, Harrel has appeared in 28 games, all of which have been starts, and he owns a career win-loss record of 13-7, along with 146 strikeouts in 148.0 innings pitched.
GOLD GLOVE
Tony Hrynkiw – C
Hrynkiw has been a wall behind the plate and he is one of the best field generals that the NAIA has to offer. The catcher owns a sensational .992 fielding percentage, and he has thrown out runners on steal attempts.
Peyton McDowall – 1B
McDowall is a true two-way player as he has recorded a .996 fielding percentage and has only committed one error is 267 total chances.
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