Seven Drovers Earn All-SAC Honors, Highlighted by Brian Ereu’s Pitcher of the Year Award
OKLAHOMA CITY, Okla. – Wednesday morning, the Sooner Athletic Conference announced their annual baseball awards, and the University of Science and Arts of Oklahoma was well represented. Brian Ereu was tabbed as the conference's Pitcher of the Year, and he was one of six Drovers to earn spots on all-conference teams. USAO also had four representatives on the Gold Glove team.
On Monday, May 5, the Drovers captured their fifth SAC Tournament championship and clinched an automatic-bid to their ninth consecutive NAIA Opening Round appearance. USAO currently owns a 34-18 overall record and held a 18-9 record against conference opponents in the regular season. They went 5-1 in the SAC Tournament, sweeping College of the Ozarks in the best of three series, followed by one win against No. 19 ranked Mid-America Christian and two wins against No. 22 Wayland Baptist University.
SAC PITCHER OF THE YEAR: BRIAN EREU
Brian Ereu earned the fourth SAC Pitcher of the Year honor in program history, following in the footsteps of Colton Williams who won the award three seasons in a row from 2019-2021. He produced a near perfect record of 10-1, along with a 2.96 earned run average and he has struck out 81 batters in 91.1 innings of work. After suffering a close 3-2 loss in the first game of the season, Ereu has earned the win in each of his last 10 decisions. He has continued to excel in the postseason, tossing back-to-back complete game victories against No. 6 seed College of the Ozarks and No. 1 seed Wayland Baptist University.
This season, Ereu ranks first in the conference in earned run average, while ranking second in wins, and seventh in strikeouts. For his efforts, he was also selected as the SAC Pitcher of the Week twice this season.
FIRST TEAM ALL-SAC: (2 PLAYERS)
Along with his Pitcher of the Year award, BRIAN EREU earned his second consecutive First Team All-SAC selection. In his career, the sophomore owns an incredible 22-3 record with a 3.99 earned run average and he has struck out 177 batters in 185.0 innings. Ereu earned a NAIA All-American selection last season and seems to be on pace to claim that recognition for the second year in a row.
GUNNAR HANSEN was awarded his second All-SAC selection after producing a .361 batting average with 53 hits, six doubles, seven home runs, 14 runs scored, and 49 runs batted in.
In his career at USAO, Hansen has appeared in 127 games, tallying a .333 batting average with 134 hits, 24 doubles, 13 home runs, 42 runs scored, and 100 runs batted in.
SECOND TEAM ALL-SAC: (4 PLAYERS)
GAGE NINNESS has been tremendous in his second season as a Drover, producing a .358 batting average with 72 hits, 12 doubles, a triple, two home runs, 39 runs scored, and 55 runs batted in. Despite being the team's leadoff hitter, he has still found a way to lead the team in runs batted in and ranks fifth in the Sooner Athletic Conference. The All-SAC selection is the second in as many years for the outfielder from Newcastle.
In his career at USAO, Ninness owns a .359 batting average with 151 hits, 31 doubles, two triples, five homers, 96 runs scored, and 97 runs batted in. He has also drawn 41 walks and 12 hit by pitches, while only striking out 27 times in 421 at bats, elevating his on base percentage to .422. Ninness has also stolen 19 bases over the last two years.
IAN ORTIZ has been a consistent source of production throughout the season, and currently owns a .360 batting average with 64 hits, 13 doubles, four home runs, 56 runs scored, and 30 runs batted in.
In his two years as a Drover, Ortiz owns a .344 career batting average with 126 hits, 21 doubles, nine homers, 96 runs scored, and 72 runs batted in. He is also 15-for-16 in stolen base attempts.
TYSON NOEL made an instant impact in his first year as a Drover, producing a 5-4 record on the mound, along with a 4.98 earned run average and has struck out 84 batters in 68.2 innings of work. The 6'7" lefty from Australia currently ranks fifth in the conference in strikeouts.
RYAN CULLINANE has been one of USAO's most reliable pitchers for the last two seasons and was rewarded with his first All-SAC selection. This season, the reliever from California owns a 2.47 earned run average and he has struck out 49 batters in 43.2 innings of work. Opponents are batting only .216 against Cullinane this season. He has also claimed three saves, which ranks fourth in the conference.
In his two years as a Drover, he has recorded a 3.86 ERA, along with 111 strikeouts in 93.1 innings. He ranks sixth in program history with six saves.
GOLD GLOVE: (4 PLAYERS)
PEYTON MCDOWALL earned his second SAC Gold Glove award, recording a perfect 1.000 fielding percentage on 266 total chances at first base. In four seasons at USAO, the first baseman has committed only nine errors on 1,283 total chances.
GUNNAR HANSEN was sensational as USAO's starting catcher this season and owns a .981 fielding percentage on 362 total chances. Hansen gunned down 13 baserunners on attempted steals this season.
IAN ORTIZ made the move from second base to right field this season and was perfect in his new position, producing a 1.000 fielding percentage on 97 total chances. Furthermore, he tallied eight outfield assists
GAGE NINNESS was superb in left field this season, owning a .989 fielding percentage as he only committed one fielding error in 92 total chances. He also added four outfield assists.
WHAT'S NEXT?
The Drovers now await the NAIA Selection Show on Wednesday, May 7 at 4:00 PM CT. The NAIA Opening Round will take place from May 12-15.
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