May 13, 2009

Cargill named Freshman of the Year

Having gone unbeaten on the season, Cowley College pitcher Zach Cargill was recently named the Jayhawk Conference Eastern Division Freshman of the Year. Tiger head coach Dave Burroughs was also recognized as the Jayhawk East Coach of the Year for the third straight year.

Cargill has posted a record of 8-0 with an earned run average under 2.00. He helped Cowley open the Region VI Tournament with a victory as he pitched a complete game in the Tigers’ 7-1 win over Fort Scott on Saturday. The complete game was Cargill’s team-leading fifth of the season. He has also struck out 60 and walked only 27 batters in 59 innings.

“This is well deserved, I am tickled for him,” Cowley head coach Dave Burroughs said. “He took the ball every time we asked him to take it.”

Joining Cargill on the first-team all-conference list was Tiger third baseman Frank Specht, who is batting .338 with a team-leading eight home runs. Specht also leads Cowley in on base percentage (.503), runs scored (52), walks (32), and times hit by pitch (14).

Burroughs, who earned Coach of the Year honors for leading the Tigers to their third straight conference title and a current record of 46-13, was disappointed to only have two players named to the first-team. However, Cowley did have seven players named to the second-team and three more received honorable mention recognition.

“It’s all special, but you have got to be kidding me for us to only have two guys on the first-team,” Burroughs said. “I wish our players would have got the awards and not me.”

Tigers that were named to the second-team were, catcher Mac Gordon (.356 average, 30 RBI), second baseman B.J. Misialek (.377 average, seven home runs, and a team-high 53 RBI), outfielders Colt Loehrs (.371 average, 29 RBI), Ronald Melendez (.361 average, 35 RBI), and Luke Zeller (.369 average, 47 RBI), and pitchers Alex Schell (7-2 record, 1.85 ERA), and Stephen Kohlscheen (8-2 record, 2.10 ERA).
Honorable mention selections for the Tigers went to catcher Ryan Hege (.360 average, 32 RBI), designated hitter Caleb Bass (.407 average, 13 RBI), and pitcher Chase Webb (4-1 record, seven saves, and an ERA of 2.05).