Myers picked all-conference in baseball

The Ottawa University baseball team placed nine players on the all-conference teams.

Senior Brandon Myers was a first team selection by the Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference coaches.

Senior Travis Persinger was a second-team selection and a 2008 Rawlings – KCAC Gold Glove Team at first base.

Juniors Blake Burks and Eric Cordell were also second team selections. Freshman Joe Summers, senior Tony Hurla, senior Rob Blankenship, freshman Tommy King and senior Derek Sparks were honorable mention selections.

Myers, an infielder from Nickerson, is a repeat selection. In 133 at-bats, Myers hit .338 with 45 hits and 36 runs scored. He had a slugging percentage of .436 and an on base percentage of .444. In the field, Myers had a .887 fielding percentage with 70 assists and 32 putouts.

Persinger, an infielder from Sedan, started in 41 games this season. He had a .397 batting average with 52 hits, 33 RBIs, 41 runs scored and was tied for the team lead in doubles (14) and home runs (5).

Persinger had a slugging percentage of .664 and an on base percentage of .484. On defense, Persinger had a .977 fielding percentage with 205 putouts and 10 assists. He also earned KCAC Player of the Week honors once this season.

Burks, an outfielder from Beloit, was a .395 hitter for the Braves. In 147 at bats, he totaled 58 hits, had 36 RBIs and scored 37 runs. He led OU in triples with five and five home runs.

Burks had a .619 slugging percentage and a .435 on base percentage. He led the Braves in stolen bases with 16. Burks had a .926 fielding percentage with 87 putouts.

Cordell, a pitcher from Holton, is a first time selection. He was 6-7 on the season with a 4.65 ERA. He appeared in 17 games with 15 starts and seven complete games.

Cordell pitched in 89 innings and struck out 79 batters. In the field, he had a .939 fielding percentage with 26 assists and five putouts.

Summers, an infielder from Littleton, Colo., is one of two OU freshmen to earn All-KCAC honors. He had a .362 batting average with 47 hits in 130 at bats. Summers had 30 RBI and scored 30 runs. He tied a team high in doubles with 14 and had 11 stolen bases.

Summers had a .508 slugging percentage with a .421 on base percentage. He had a .831 fielding percentage with 44 putouts and 30 assists. Summers earned KCAC Player of the Week recognition once this season.

Hurla, an outfielder from Kansas City, Kan., had a .355 batting average this past season. In 138 at bats he had 49 hits, 23 RBIs and scored 35 runs. Hurla had a slugging percentage of .493 and an on base percentage of .451. On defense, Hurla had a .955 fielding percentage with 58 putouts.

Blankenship, an infielder from San Antonio, Texas, is a first time selection. He played in 15 games this past season and had a .714 batting average in seven at bats. Blankenship had five hits, drove in six runs and scored twice. He had a slugging percentage of .857 and an on base percentage of .846.  

King, an infielder from Tucson, Ariz., was a .331 hitter for the Braves this past season. In 124 at-bats, he had 41 hits, 23 RBI and scored 22 runs. King had a slugging percentage of .452 and an on base percentage of .387. On defense, he had a .886 fielding percentage with 53 putouts and 56 assists.

Sparks, an infielder from Tonganoxie, had a batting average of .282. He in 103 at-bats, he totaled 29 hits, had 20 RBIs and scored 21 runs. Sparks had a slugging percentage of .456 and an on base percentage of .368. In the field, Sparks had a .838 fielding percentage with 19 putouts and 43 assists.  

The Braves finished at 17-27.