May 19, 2007

Several members of the 2007 Wayne State baseball team were named to the Rawlings/ABCA All-North Central Region squad as voted upon by the head coaches in the region.

Junior outfielder Tony Hines (Detroit, Mich./Mumford) earned First Team accolades and is now eligible for All-America consideration, which will be selected May 27 in conjunction with the NCAA Division II National Championship Tournament. Hines, an All-GLIAC and Daktronics All-Region First Team honoree, hit .355 this season and led the squad in on base percentage (.462), runs scored (48), RBI (51), triples (4), total bases (115), and walks (30).

Earning Second Team All-North Central Region honors were redshirt senior first baseman Jon Weisman (Woodhaven, Mich.) and junior outfielder Derek Ranck (Clarkston, Mich.)

Weisman, another First Team All-GLIAC and Daktronics All-Region award winner, 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).

Ranck finished with the second-highest batting average (.403) on the team and eighth-best in the GLIAC during the regular season. He had a team- and conference-best 73 hits and, in addition to making the All-GLIAC First Team, was named WSU's Most Valuable Player.

Ranck was also one of four Warriors to receive a "Golden Glove" Award for outstanding defense. Other WSU players earning recognition in this regard were junior catcher Matt Cunningham (Gregory, Mich./Chelsea), junior second baseman Brett Witczak (Hudsonville, Mich.), and freshman outfielder Ryan LaPensee (LaSalle, Ont./St. Thomas of Villanova).