MVC All-Conference Release

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. -- Four University of Evansville baseball players have earned All-Missouri Valley Conference honors, as announced by the Valley office Monday evening. Junior Eric Stamets highlights the group, being named the league’s first-ever Defensive Player of the Year, as well as a member of the first team all-conference team. In addition, freshman Kevin Kaczmarski was named second team, while junior Kyle Lloyd and freshman Kyle Freeland picked up honorable mention recognition.

Stamets, a native of Dublin, Ohio, is an all-around standout player for the Aces with incredible range at the shortstop position. Stamets owns a .969 fielding percentage with 91 putouts and a league-high 189 assists, entering the MVC Tournament four shy of the 600 career-assist milestone. He also ranks tied for third in the league in fielding double plays (35) this season. Stamets has started every game of his career and pilots the Aces’ offense with a .311 batting average, 39 runs, 24 RBI and a team-high 18 doubles, while also leading the MVC with 30 steals. Stamets is no stranger to Valley honors, as he was named the MVC Freshman of the Year in 2010.

Kaczmarski leads the team with a .328 batting average, 17 runs, and a .493 slugging percentage in MVC games this spring. The rookie also ranks second on the team with a .307 season average and squad-best .419 on-base percentage. The Cary, Ill. native co-ranks third in the Valley and co-leads the Aces with five triples, while also belting 13 doubles.

Lloyd and Freeland, two of UE’s starting pitchers in the weekend rotation, have been steady hurlers for the Aces this spring. Lloyd leads Evansville with a 2-0 record and 2.09 ERA against Valley competition, while limiting conference foes to a .193 batting average. On the season, the right-hander has thrown 80.2 innings, striking out 51 with a 3.01 ERA and 5-3 record.

Freeland is a two-time MVC Pitcher of the Week honoree, hurling two complete-game shutouts with a team-high 39 strikeouts in league play. Against Valley competition Freeland owns a 3-2 record and 3.64 ERA. On the season, Freeland has struck out 63 in 82.2 innings with a 4-5 mark and 4.57 ERA.

The Aces open the 2012 State Farm Missouri Valley Conference Tournament Tuesday morning at 9:00 a.m. CT at Hammons Field. Evansville, the five seed, will face No. 4 Illinois State in game one. No. 1 Indiana State and No. 8 Creighton are also in the Aces’ bracket.

First Team All-Conference                        
1B – Chris Serritalla, Southern Illinois
2B – Kevin Medrano, Missouri State
SS – Eric Stamets, Evansville
3B – Zac Johnson, Illinois State
C – Jeremy Lucas, Indiana State
DH – Johnny Coy, Wichita State
UT – Austin Montgomery, Southern Illinois
OF – Eric Aguilera, Illinois State
OF – Rob Ort, Indiana State
OF – Jordan Sivertsen, Southern Illinois
SP – Dakota Bacus, Indiana State
SP – Joe Bircher, Bradley
SP – Nick Petree, Missouri State
RP – Kenny Long, Illinois State
RP – Tyler Burgess, Missouri State 

Second Team All-Conference                
1B – Brock Chaffin, Missouri State
2B – Chris Godinez, Bradley
SS – Tyler Wampler, Indiana State
3B – Brent Seifert, Missouri State
C – Luke Voit, Missouri State
DH – Brock Harding, Southern Illinois
UT – Anthony Bemboom, Creighton
OF – Kyle Burnam, Indiana State
OF – Spiker Helms, Missouri State
OF – Kevin Kaczmarski, Evansville
SP – Cody Forsythe, Southern Illinois
SP – Cameron Maldonado, Southern Illinois
SP – Sean Manaea, Indiana State
RP – Todd Eaton, Southern Illinois
RP – Cale Elam, Wichita State

Honorable Mention                                
1B – Jon Hedges, Indiana State
2B – Kevin Tokarski, Illinois State
SS – Erik Harbutz, Wichita State
C – Matt Mirabal, Illinois State
DH – Keenen Maddox, Missouri State
UT – Dayne Parker, Wichita State
OF – Landon Curry, Indiana State
OF – Micah Green, Wichita State
OF – Chad Hinshaw, Illinois State
OF – Mike Tauchman, Bradley
OF – Ty Wiesemeyer, Illinois State
SP – Kyle Lloyd, Evansville
SP – Kyle Freeland, Evansville
SP – Cody Schumacher, Missouri State
SP – Josh Smith, Wichita State
RP – Justin Hauer, Illinois State 

All-Defensive Team                            
1B – Nick Judkins, Creighton
2B – Kevin Medrano, Missouri State
SS – Eric Stamets, Evansville
3B – Chance Ross, Creighton
C – Jeremy Lucas, Indiana State
OF – Mike Gerber, Creighton
OF – Kevin Hall, Wichita State
OF – Chad Hinshaw, Illinois State
P – Nick Petree, Missouri State