GRAND PRAIRIE, Texas — Chris Lewis was named the Western Athletic Conference Freshman of the Year and was one of three Hornets to earn first team all-conference honors, it was announced tonight at the WAC Tournament Banquet.
Lewis was joined on the first team by pitchers Brennan Leitao and Sutter McLoughlin. Senior Andrew Ayers was the team's lone second team selection.
Lewis, a redshirt freshman from Newark, Calif., led the conference with a .396 batting average in league games. While starting all 56 games, he led the Hornets with a .351 average and 74 hits. Lewis was also tied for the team high with 46 RBIs and 15 doubles. During the season, he had a pair of 13-game hitting streaks and reached base in all but six contests. He is the second Sacramento State player to win the WAC's Freshman of the Year Award in as many years, following Rhys Hoskins.
Leitao was 8-3 during the regular season with a 2.79 ERA. In WAC games, he was even better with a 7-2 mark and 2.11 ERA. The sophomore from Irvine, Calif., enters the WAC Tournament as the team leader in ERA, innings pitched (93.2), strikeouts (45) and opponent batting average (.216). His eight wins are tied with Brandon Creel for the team high.
McLoughlin, just a year removed from Rio Americano HS, was selected to the first team after setting the Sacramento State single season record with 17 saves. That total led the WAC, ties him for third in Div. I and is the most amongst freshmen. McLoughlin appeared in 27 games where he had a 2.36 ERA and limited the opposition to a .214 average. McLoughlin's 17 saves place him second on the Hornet career list.
Ayers earned all-WAC honors for the second consecutive season. The senior hit .289 and tied Lewis for the team lead with 46 RBIs. He also had eight doubles and ranked second on the team with nine home runs. Ayers, who was the WAC Player of the Year in 2012, will leave Sacramento State ranked among the top in program history in at-bats, hits, runs, RBIs and doubles.
CSU Bakersfield swept the rest of the conference honors with shortstop Tyler Shryock earned the Player of the Year Award, Jeff McKenzie the Pitcher of the Year and Bill Kernen the Coach of the Year.
Sacramento State begins the WAC Tournament on Wednesday against UTSA at 9 a.m. PDT.
FIRST TEAM ALL-WAC
Tyler Shryock, Jr., INF, CSU Bakersfield
Robert Lecount, Sr., INF, New Mexico State
Oscar Sanay, Jr., INF, CSU Bakersfield
Duncan McAlpine, Sr., INF, Dallas Baptist
RJ Perucki, Jr., INF, UTSA
Nate Roberts, Sr., INF, Seattle U
Tanner Rust, Jr., INF, New Mexico State
Cody Lovejoy, So., OF, Texas State
Cael Brockmeyer, Jr., C, CSU Bakersfield
Michael Miller, Jr., C, Dallas Baptist
Chris Lewis, Fr., DH, Sacramento State
Matt Shortall, Jr., DH, UT Arlington
Scott Brattvet, Sr., P, CSU Bakersfield
Brennan Leitao, So., P, Sacramento State
Phil Maton, So., P, Louisiana Tech
Jeff McKenzie, Sr., P, CSU Bakersfield
Sutter McLoughlin, Fr., P, Sacramento State
Michael Smith, Sr., P, Dallas Baptist
SECOND TEAM ALL-WAC
Mylz Jones, Fr., INF, CSU Bakersfield
Andrew Ayers, Sr., INF, Sacramento State
Garrett Mattlage, So., INF, Texas State
Matt Carroll, Jr., INF, San Jose State
Austin Listi, Fr., INF, Dallas Baptist
Ronnie Mitchell, Sr., OF, Dallas Baptist
Michael Medina, Jr., OF, New Mexico State
Kevin Sah, Sr., OF, Texas State
Andre Mercurio, So., OF, San Jose State
Daniel Rockett, Sr., OF, UTSA
Riley Good, Jr., OF, UTSA
Greg McCall, Jr., C, UT Arlington
Brock Hartson, Fr., P, UTSA
Kyle Hassna, Sr., P, San Jose State
Lucas Humpal, Fr., P, Texas State
Hunter Lemke, Jr., P, Texas State
Evan Mott, Sr., P, New Mexico State
Brad Vachon, Jr., P, UT Arlington