Hanson Recognized on Horizon League All-Academic Team
Valparaiso University senior Jake Hanson (Yorkville, Ill. / Aurora Christian) was honored by the Horizon League on Friday as the league announced its 2017 baseball all-academic team.
Hanson was one of 14 Horizon League players honored for their success both on the playing field and in the classroom. Hanson graduated from Valparaiso in 2016 with a 3.72 grade point average in sport management. He is currently enrolled in Valpo’s Master of Business Administration program and holds a 3.50 GPA.
The designated hitter / catcher has started 51 of Valpo’s 52 games as a fifth-year senior this season. He’s enjoying a productive offensive season with a .294 average, one home run, 30 RBIs and 14 doubles.
2017 Horizon League Baseball All-Academic Team
- Daulton Varsho, Milwaukee
- Will Haueter, Northern Kentucky
- Matt DiLeo, Oakland
- Tyler Janish, Oakland
- Nate Schweers, Oakland
- Reid Birlingmair, UIC
- Charlie Cerny, UIC
- Ricardo Ramirez, UIC
- Mitchell Schulewitz, UIC
- Jake Hanson, Valparaiso
- Web Charles, Youngstown State
- Andrew Kendrick, Youngstown State
- Nico Padovan, Youngstown State
- Anthony Rohan, Youngstown State
Crusaders Continue Winning Ways with Walk-off Walk
The Valparaiso University baseball team notched its fourth win in the last five games on Thursday afternoon at Emory G. Bauer Field. Freshman Christian Barczi (Naperville, Ill. / Naperville North) worked a bases-loaded walk in the bottom of the ninth to force in the winning run and send the Crusaders into celebration following a 5-4 victory over Milwaukee. All four Valpo base runners in the ninth came via walks, two of which were intentional.
How It Happened
- The Crusaders (24-28, 13-15 Horizon) started senior weekend with two seniors involved in the first scoring play of the game. Jake Hanson (Yorkville, Ill. / Aurora Christian) singled home James Stea (Los Alamitos, Calif. / Los Alamitos [Golden West]) to vault Valpo in front in the first.
- That stood as the only run of the game until the fifth as Valpo’s Mario Losi (Anaheim, Calif. / Canyon) and Milwaukee’s Jay Peters engaged in a pitchers’ duel. The Crusaders scratched out a run in that inning as Sam Shaikin (West Hills, Calif. / Chatsworth) bounced out and Stea crossed the dish to make it 2-0.
- Losi pulled off a remarkable escape in the sixth, working out of a bases-loaded, no-out jam unscathed. He induced a shallow fly ball to right, followed by back-to-back infield popups.
- Scott Kapers (Schererville, Ind. / Mount Carmel) bolstered the Valpo lead by crushing a run-scoring triple to right center in the sixth. He later scored on a sac fly by Stea to make it 4-0.
- Losi left after six scoreless frames in which he permitted four hits and one walk. He ended up with no decision.
- The Panthers (22-31, 10-18) began to creep back into the game when Trevor Schwecke lifted an RBI double, then Daulton Varsho spanked a two-run homer that whittled the deficit to one.
- Jon Tieman (Crystal Lake, Ill. / Prairie Ridge) came in from the bullpen to get the final out of the seventh, then tossed a scoreless eighth. Tieman remained in the game for the ninth. With two on and a runner at second and Valpo leading by a run, the Crusaders intentionally walked Varsho to bring up Ben Chally. Chally doubled to right to drive in the tying run, but Varsho was cut down at the plate on a close play to end the inning.
- Nate Palace (Westlake Village, Calif. / Oaks Christian) walked to start the bottom of the ninth, then a sacrifice bunt, intentional walk, wild pitch and another intentional walk set up Barzi’s bases-full base on balls to end it.
Inside the Game
- Tieman permitted just one run on three hits and one walk over 2 1/3 innings to pick up the win and up his record to 4-1.
- Milwaukee reliever Brandon Parr dropped to 2-6 after being hit with the defeat. He walked four of the five men he faced, two of them intentionally.
- Kapers paced the Crusaders with three hits, while Hanson and Shaikin chipped in two hits apiece.
- Stea was hit by a pitch for the 23rd time this season, moving into sole possession of first place on Valpo’s single-season HBP list. The record was previously held by Tanner Vavra.
- Kapers continued a favorable stretch offensively. In the last five games, he’s 9-for-18 with five runs scored, three doubles, a triple and five RBIs. He has 14 total bases during that stretch, matching Stea for the team lead. Kapers is slugging a team-best .778 during the last five contests.
Inside the Standings
After a 12-11 win over Oakland on Thursday, Northern Kentucky is on the brink of clinching the No. 3 seed in the Horizon League. The only other team with hope for the No. 3 seed is Valpo, and for that to happen the Crusaders would have to win both remaining games against Milwaukee and the Norse would have to lose both remaining games against Oakland. With the win on Thursday, the Crusaders have locked up no worse than fifth in the Horizon League. The only scenario where Valpo finishes fifth is Valpo losing both remaining games and Oakland winning both remaining games. Aside from the two aforementioned scenarios, any other combination of how the weekend could play out would result in Valpo finishing fourth. Elsewhere, Wright State defeated UIC 6-4 to stay alive for the No. 1 seed. The Flames need to salvage one win of the remaining two games to clinch the top seed and host the tournament.
Next Up
The Crusaders will continue the series against Milwaukee on Saturday at 1 p.m. CT at Emory G. Bauer Field. The game can be heard on 95.1 FM Valparaiso. Links to live audio and stats will be available on ValpoAthletics.com.
Stewart, Trepanier Earn All-Region Accolades
The Valparaiso University softball team was represented by two players on the National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) All-Midwest Region squads, as announced by the NFCA on Thursday. Senior Sam Stewart (Frankfort, Ill./Lincoln-Way East) received Second Team All-Region honors, while sophomore Carly Trepanier (Manteno, Ill./Manteno) earned a spot on the Third Team.
Stewart adds yet another honor to her plethora of awards following her standout senior season. The Horizon League Player of the Year, Stewart ended her final year hitting .388 with 15 home runs, 42 runs scored and 46 RBIs. She set new Valpo single-season records for home runs, walks (49), on-base percentage (.568) and slugging percentage (.836), and ended her Crusader career third in program history in career home runs and fourth in RBIs. Stewart, who led the Horizon League in seven different offensive categories, currently ranks fifth nationally in walks, sixth in on-base percentage and 13th in slugging percentage.
Trepanier picked up the All-Region award after starting every game at second base and serving as the Crusaders’ catalyst atop the lineup as a sophomore. Trepanier finished the season hitting .358 with 31 runs scored, nine doubles and 15 stolen bases. Her 62 total hits were second-most in the Horizon League and rank sixth on Valpo’s single-season chart. Trepanier, who earned All-League honors for the second straight season, also closed the year fourth in the league in stolen bases, fifth in batting average and sixth in on-base percentage (.431).
Both Stewart and Trepanier earned All-Region recognition from the NFCA for the first time, and are now eligible for All-American honors. This year is just the second time in Crusader program history that the team has had multiple players earn All-Region accolades.
10 Valpo Student-Athletes Receive Arthur Ashe Jr. Sports Scholar Award
10 Valparaiso University student-athletes received the Arthur Ashe Jr. Sports Scholar Awards as selected by Diverse: Issues in Higher Education magazine. The award recognizes minority student-athletes who have made achieving both academically and athletically a winning combination.
To be eligible for the honor, students have to be an intercollegiate athlete, maintain at least a 3.2 grade point average, and be active on their campus and in the community.
The following Valparaiso student-athletes earned the Arthur Ashe Jr. Sports Scholar Award this year: Dave Bacalla (men’s tennis), April Cronin (women’s soccer), Montel Hall (men’s track and field), Angie Kim (women’s golf), Deven Mason (men’s soccer), Chidimma Ozodi (women’s track and field), Nate Palace (baseball), Arman Salim (men’s swimming), Sam Stewart (softball) and Randi Wind (women’s tennis).
