DENVER ? The Western Athletic Conference today released its 2008 all-WAC baseball teams and postseason awards as selected by the league’s head coaches. Fresno State senior outfielder Steve Susdorf was named the Player of the Year and Fresno State junior Tanner Scheppers earned Pitcher of the Year honors. The Freshman of the Year award went to Fresno State infielder Danny Muno. Fresno State’s Mike Batesole and San Jose State’s Sam Piraro were named WAC Co-Coaches of the Year.
Susdorf, a senior from Newhall, Calif. (Hart HS), hit .398 with 47 RBI, 15 doubles, seven home runs and scored 36 runs scored in 32 conference games. He led the WAC during league play with a .707 slugging percentage and fronted the conference with 87 total bases. In all games, Susdorf is hitting .336 with 57 runs scored, 25 doubles, 67 RBI and nine home runs.
Scheppers, a junior from Laguna Niguel, Calif. (Dana Hills HS), earned the WAC’s Pitcher of the Year award after putting together a record of 5-1 in seven appearances. He has an ERA of 3.96 and is first in the WAC in strikeouts with 65. In all games this season, Scheppers is 8-2 with a 2.93 ERA and 109 strikeouts.
Muno, a native of Thousand Oaks, Calif. (Loyola HS), hit .341 in 32 conference games. He had 13 RBI, six doubles, two home runs and scored 29 runs. In WAC play, he led the WAC with 27 walks this season. In all games, he is batting .327 with 49 runs scored, 11 doubles, and 21 RBI.
Batesole, in his sixth season with Fresno State, has led the Bulldogs to a 33-27 overall record. Fresno State won its third-straight WAC regular season title this year. It’s Batesole’s first career WAC Coach of the Year award.
Piraro, now in his 21st season at the helm of San Jose State, has led the Spartans to a 31-23 record this year, marking the third consecutive season that his team has reached 30-plus wins. The honor marks the third time in his career that he has received the WAC Coach of the Year award.
Fresno State led the conference with five players on the all-WAC first team. Hawai?i and New Mexico State each had three players on the first team, while Nevada had two. Repeat first team selections from 2007 included Fresno State’s Erik Wetzel, Scheppers and Susdorf. Wetzel and Susdorf were also members of the 2006 first team all-WAC team.
WAC All-CONFERENCE
FIRST TEAM
Steve Susdorf, Sr., OF, Fresno State
Brandon Haislet, Sr., OF, Hawai?i
Joseph Scaperotta, Sr., OF, New Mexico State
Tim Wheeler, So., OF, Sacramento State
Joe Leghorn, Sr., C, New Mexico State
Alan Ahmady, So., 1B, Fresno State
Erik Wetzel, Jr., 2B, Fresno State
Jason Rodriguez, Sr., 3B, Nevada
Jonathan Hee, Sr., SS, Hawai?i
Tyler Hardt, Sr., DH, New Mexico State
Jericho Jones, Sr., UTI, Louisiana Tech
Tanner Scheppers, Jr., SP, Fresno State
Jared Alexander, Jr., SP, Hawai?i
Kyle Howe, Sr., SP, Nevada
Brandon Burke, Sr., RP, Fresno State
SECOND TEAM
Ryan Blair, Sr., OF, Sacramento State
Mike Hale, Sr., OF, Nevada
Matt Bowman, Jr., OF, Nevada
Adam Cobb, Sr., OF, Louisiana Tech
Landon Hernandez, Jr., C, Hawai?i
Shaun Kort, So., 1B, Nevada
Greg Garcia, Fr., 2B, Hawai?i
David Flores, Sr., 3B, Sacramento State
Richard Stout, Jr., SS, New Mexico State
Wes Oberlin, Sr., DH, Sacramento State
Gabe Jacobo, Jr., UTI, Sacramento State
Max Peterson, So., SP, San Jose State
Heath Goin, Jr., SP, New Mexico State
Tyler Sturdevant, Jr., SP, New Mexico State
Mario Rivera, Sr., RP, Nevada
Player of the Year: Steve Susdorf, Sr., Fresno State
Pitcher of the Year: Tanner Scheppers, Jr., Fresno State
Freshman of the Year: Danny Muno, IF, Fresno State
Co-Coach of the Year: Mike Batesole, Fresno State
Co-Coach of the Year: Sam Piraro, San Jose State