Three Titans Chosen To All-WIAC First Team
Repeat selection Johnny Eagan highlighted three UW-Oshkosh players named to the All-WIAC Baseball First Team.
Eagan was joined on the 20-member first team by Titans Robbie Kleman and Ben Messenger, who were named to the conference's top team for the first time.
Eagan, a junior outfielder, led UW-Oshkosh with a .365 batting average, 57 hits, 37 runs and 17 doubles while ranking second with 33 runs batted in, 83 total bases, 12 stolen bases and .532 slugging and .436 on-base percentages in 40 games played, including 39 as a starter.
Eagan lists third in the WIAC in doubles; sixth in hits, runs and stolen bases; eighth in total bases; and ninth in batting average, slugging percentage and on-base percentage. He had 18 multiple-hit games this season, including four-hit efforts against Concordia University Wisconsin and Ripon College.
Kleman, a senior designated hitter, paced the Titans with six home runs, six triples, 40 RBIs, 91 total bases and .599 slugging and .441 on-base percentages in 41 games, including 40 as a starter. He ranks second in the league in triples; fourth in home runs, RBIs, total bases and slugging percentage; eighth in on-base percentage; and 10th in hits and batting with a .355 average.
Kleman, who reached base in 15 consecutive games from April 9-24, drove in multiple runs during 11 contests this season, including a season-best four RBIs against UW-La Crosse.
Kleman capped his career with a .317 batting average with 176 hits, 95 runs, 35 doubles, 14 home runs, 127 RBIs and 273 total bases in 146 games played, including 141 as a starter.
Messenger, a senior pitcher, owned a 3-4 record with a 4.89 earned run average in 10 appearances, including nine starts. He ranks fifth in the WIAC with 50 strikeouts and ninth with 57 innings pitched. Two of Messenger's victories this year came against NCAA Division III Championship qualifiers Salve Regina University (R.I.) and UW-Whitewater.
Messenger, who transferred from UW-Stevens Point following his freshman campaign, concluded his three seasons at UW-Oshkosh with an 8-14 record, a 4.06 ERA and 143 strikeouts in 175.1 innings pitched spanning 31 appearances, including 28 starts.
Achieving All-WIAC honorable mention status for UW-Oshkosh were sophomore first baseman Andy Brahier, junior third baseman Tyler Kozlowski and freshman outfielder Dylan Ott. The All-WIAC honorable mention team was comprised of 16 players.
Brahier, an All-WIAC first team selection a year ago, batted .302 with 48 hits, 23 runs, two home runs, 25 RBIs and 60 total bases in 40 contests, including 39 as a starter.
Kozlowski, named to the honorable mention team for the third straight year, compiled a .291 batting average with 41 hits, 16 doubles, 26 runs, 25 RBIs and 59 total bases in 40 games played, including 38 as a starter. His doubles total ranks fourth in the WIAC.
Ott batted .322 with 28 hits, 17 runs and a .402 on-base percentage in 35 games, including 22 as a starter.
League champion UW-La Crosse had eight players selected to the first team, followed by UW-Whitewater with five, UW-Platteville with two, and UW-Stevens Point and UW-Stout with one apiece.
Rounding out the All-WIAC First Team were UW-La Crosse's Justin Anderson, Caleb Boushley, Alex Brown, Alex Cordova, Nate Heili, Carter Hoffman, Troy Kenkel and Taylor Kohlwey; UW-Platteville's Tanner Galeazzi and Lucas Keller; UW-Stevens Point's Cole Ericksen; UW-Stout's Brady Burzynski; and UW-Whitewater's Cal Aldridge, Blake Fleischman, Curtis Morgan, Mike Nompleggi and Ankur Shah.
UW-La Crosse swept the league's major awards as Kohlwey, a senior outfielder, was named Position Player of the Year, junior Boushley claimed Pitcher of the Year honors and Chris Schwarz was tabbed Coach of the Year.
UW-La Crosse won both the regular season and tournament championships. The Eagles will be joined in the NCAA Division III Championship by league runner-up UW-Whitewater, which received an at-large bid to the national tournament.