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 Jay Alexander presents Derek Ranck with the team's MVP award. |
May 8, 2007
DETROIT, Mich. - The Wayne State baseball team held its annual senior recognition and awards banquet Monday evening at Historic St. Andrew's on the WSU campus in Detroit.
Junior outfielder Derek Ranck (Clarkston, Mich.) was named the team's Most Valuable Player as voted on by his peers. He finished with the second-highest batting average (.403) on the team and eighth-best in the GLIAC. He also had a team- and conference-best 73 hits, four shy of matching Frank Jeney's school record of 77. Ranck drove in 48 runs, had 15 doubles and 96 total bases, and posted a team-best 24 multiple-hit games. Additionally, Ranck shared the team's Top Hitter award with junior outfielder Tony Hines (Detroit, Mich./Mumford).
Hines, who along with Ranck was one of two Warriors to start all 51 games, hit .355 this season, third-highest on the team and 10th in the GLIAC. He led the squad in on base percentage (.462), runs scored (48), RBI (51), triples (4), total bases (115), and walks (30). Hines had 19 multiple-hit games, second only to Ranck, and tied Ranck with a team-high 14 multiple-RBI games.
Wayne State's Top Pitcher award also went to two individuals. Sophomore Anthony Bass (Trenton, Mich.) was one recipient, as he led the Warrior pitching staff (and tied for GLIAC lead) with eight victories and finished second in the GLIAC in innings pitched (77.1) and sixth in strikeouts (64). His 3.38 earned run average was third-best in the conference. He also made a team-high 15 appearances and posted five complete games.
Bass shared the award with senior Kyle Hill (Mississauga, Ont./St. Michael's), who went 6-4 and finished third in the GLIAC with a 2.52 ERA. He led the conference with a 0.76 walks per game average, allowing only six walks this season while totaling 50 strikeouts. Hill ranks second all-time in career innings pitched (271.1) and complete games (20) and fifth in games pitched (50). On Saturday, he became WSU's all-time leader with 45 career starts and matched the school record of 24 career victories.
A three-time GLIAC All-Academic Team member and Communication Coordinator for Student-Athlete Advisory Committee, Hill also earned the Warrior Award for his service to the baseball program, the university and the community.
Top Defensive Player accolades went to junior infielder Brett Witczak (Hudsonville, Mich.). He had just three errors in 176 chances at second base (.983 fielding percentage) and helped turn 18 of the team's 33 double plays. He accumulated a 28-game errorless streak March 25-April 29 and was one of three Warriors to play in all 51 games. An offensive threat as well, Witczak batted .347 with 61 hits (second-most on team), 37 RBI, and 37 runs scored.
Freshman Ryan LaPensee (LaSalle, Ont./St. Thomas of Villanova) was presented with the "Gary Chapp" Spirit Award in recognition of his dedication, hard work, and desire to put the team's needs above his own. LaPensee led the Warriors (seventh in the GLIAC) in batting average (.406) and stolen bases (16, sixth in the GLIAC), finished second on the team in runs scored (45), and was fourth in hits (58), on-base percentage (.447), and slugging percentage (.524). He reached base as the leadoff hitter 24 times in 46 chances (.522).
The award for Most Improved Player went to senior infielder Jon Weisman (Woodhaven, Mich.). A three-time GLIAC All-Academic Team honoree, Weisman set career-highs in batting average (.340), home runs (11), RBI (48), total bases (100), slugging percentage (.694), walks (24), and on-base percentage (.439). He cut his strikeout total from last season by 28 percent (58 in 2006, 42 in 2007) and became the all-time leader in home runs, doubles, extra-base hits, and total bases, and games played.
Wayne State nearly matched its conference record from a year ago (17-14 in 2006) but posted 10 more victories overall this season. While just missing a berth in the GLIAC tournament, the team is awaiting Sunday's announcement of the NCAA Regional qualifiers.
