Ball State University Athletics
Baseball Hands Out Fall Awards And Names 2007 Captains
November 28, 2006 | Baseball
The Ball State baseball team has wrapped up its fall series of red and white intrasquad games and handed out its fall awards.
Wayne Bond, a transfer from Lincoln Trail College, was impressive during the fall season, taking home the team's Most Valuable Player and Top Newcomer awards. Bond is a junior outfielder and one of 14 players who are new to the Ball State program.
"Bond had a really solid fall," Ball State coach Greg Beals said. "He's a very good defender who's proven to be able to fill Mike Sullivan's shoes as our centerfielder and leadoff man."
Sullivan is one of seven starters and four Major League Baseball draft picks Ball State must replace in 2006.
"Our newcomers are all very talented," Beals said. "They fit in well with our team, and we feel like this team has a chance to be pretty competitive by the time the season rolls around."
The baseball team handed out a total of six fall awards:
Most Valuable Player ? Wayne Bond
Most Valuable Pitcher ? Jay Broughton
Most Improved Player ? Alex Schmid
Most Improved Pitcher ? Chase Gaff
Top Newcomer Player ? Wayne Bond
Top Newcomer Pitcher ? Brad Piatt
Broughton, a sophomore pitcher, Gaff, a redhirt freshman pitcher, and Schmid, a redshirt freshman catcher are all in their second year in the Ball State program. Piatt is a freshman pitcher in his first year with the Cardinals.
In addition to its fall awards, the team has also named its captains for the 2007 season, as voted on by the team. Senior second baseman Matt Gard, senior pitcher Ryan DeGeeter and junior closer Kyle Heyne will assume the captains' responsibilities.
"Those three guys were voted on by their peers," Beals said, "and I think they're great representatives of Ball State baseball."
The defending Mid-American Conference Tournament Champion Cardinals will open their season Feb. 16-18 at the Florida Atlantic Tournament in Boca Raton, Fla. The Cardinals will play Oklahoma State in their first game of the tournament.
Ball State's 2007 schedule includes 24 home games at Ball Diamond.
