SIOUX CITY, Iowa – Four Mustangs were named first team all-GPAC and 11 Mustangs received recognition by the conference Wednesday morning.
Eddie Brancato (Sr., Arlington Heights, Ill.), Jayson Willers (Jr., Davenport, Iowa), Kai Purdy-Burton (So., Pasadena, Calif.), and Mason Hymer (Jr., Tacoma, Wash.) were first team honorees. Brian Garcia (Sr., Burbank, Calif.) received second team honors.
Brancato was named a first team utility infielder, batting a team-high .370 with 15 doubles, six home runs, 37 RBIs, and 49 runs scored. He also had a team-high .586 slugging percentage and .485 on-base percentage.
Willers was named a first team catcher, leading the Mustangs with eight home runs and 41 RBI. Willers hit .329 with a .533 slugging and a .443 on-base percentage. He was nearly perfect in the field with a .997 fielding percentage.
Purdy-Burton received first team pitcher honors, having the lowest earned run average of any Morningside starting pitcher with a 2.26 ERA over 71 and two-thirds innings. Purdy-Burton finished with a 7-4 record in 12 starts (13 appearances), striking out a team-high 70 batters. Hitter managed a .201 batting average against him.
Hymer was named a first team relief pitcher, holding a 2.15 ERA over 29 and a third innings. Hymer struck out 29 batters and allowed just one extra base hit this season. Batters hit .171 against him and he recorded two saves out of the bullpen.
Garcia received second team honors in the outfield, where he started all 51 games with a .330 batting average. He hit a team-high 18 doubles and one triple for a .441 slugging percentage. Garcia also patrolled centerfield for the Mustangs defense, recording a .986 fielding percentage.
Five Mustangs were named honorable mention. Ryan Kiolbassa (Jr., Hoffman Estates, Ill.), Cade Nolan (So., Menifee Calif.), Logan Warkentin (Jr., Domain, Manitoba), Aiden Bishop (Sr., Lincoln, Neb.), and Conner Maston (Fr., Killdruff, Iowa) all received honorable mention.
Kiolbassa had a team-high 64 hits on a .352 batting average this season. Nolan held a 6-1 record, pitching 60 and two-thirds innings, striking out 63. He also hit .301 with two home runs and six doubles. Warkentin recorded a team-high four saves and had a 4-1 record on the mound this season. He struck out 24 batters in 22 innings.
Bishop pitched 66 innings with 48 strikeouts and had a 4.23 ERA in 12 starts. He also hit .275 with a team-high 25 walks. Maston started 10 games with a 3.60 ERA and 44 strikeouts over 45 innings.
Three Mustangs were named to the GPAC Gold Glove Team as well. Willers’ .997 and Garcia’s .986 fielding percentage earned them gold glove honors at catcher and center field respectively. Giacomo Crosetti (Jr., Palo Cedro, Calif.) received the gold glove in right field with a perfect 1.000 fielding percentage.
The Mustangs went 33-18 this season with a 19-9 conference record, placing third in the GPAC.
