Baseball 5/6/2014 3:34:00 PM

OCU places five on all-SAC baseball team

Lynch, Pike and Smith collect first-team honors

Chris Pike threw a perfect game and a no-hitter in consecutive starts March 7 and 14.

OKLAHOMA CITY – Connor Lynch, Chris Pike and Forrest Smith highlighted five Oklahoma City University honorees on the all-Sooner Athletic Conference baseball team.
Lynch, Pike and Smith of the Stars made the first team, while Brad Wieck became a second-team choice. Lynch and teammate Kyle Lacy took gold-glove honors.
Lynch, a junior catcher from Marietta, Ga., has piled up the NAIA's second best slugging percentage (.771) while ranking eighth in home runs per game (.240) and 10th in homers with 12. Lynch is hitting .389 with 18 doubles, three triples, 45 RBIs and a .482 on-base percentage.
In 2014, Lynch has two games where he hit two homers – against USAO on Feb. 27 in Oklahoma City and against Oklahoma Christian on April 15 at Jim Wade Stadium. Lynch also drove in five runs against USAO on Feb. 27 and had four hits against Southwestern Christian on March 13 at Dolese Park. He has a .984 fielding percentage with 12 runners thrown out. Lynch took SAC player of the week for Feb. 11-16.
Pike, a senior right-handed pitcher from Southampton, N.Y., ranks third nationally with 117 strikeouts, sixth in batters struck out per nine innings (12.74), eighth in wins (10) and ninth in opponents' batting average (.173). Pike has gone 10-2 with a 1.74 earned run average, seven complete games and three shutouts in 82.2 innings pitched.
On March 7, Pike hurled the 24th perfect game in NAIA history against St. Gregory's at Jim Wade Stadium, then followed with a no-hitter at Southwestern Christian on March 14 at Dolese Park. Pike had 17 hitless innings including those starts and a start vs. USAO on Feb. 28. He threw a one-hit whitewash with 10 strikeouts at Mid-America Christian on April 24. Pike garnered Collegiate Baseball player of the week and SAC pitcher of the week on consecutive weeks March 3-9 and 10-16.
Smith, a senior first baseman from Bakersfield, Calif., leads the NAIA with 17 home runs and .327 homers per game while rating fourth in slugging percentage (.770) and 12th in total bases (127). Smith has posted a .358 average with 13 doubles, two triples, 53 RBIs and a .465 on-base percentage.
On Feb. 28, Smith nailed three home runs against USAO in Chickasha, Okla., including the game-winning homer in the first game of a doubleheader. Smith became the first Star to hit three homers in a game since Miguel Beltran did it March 28, 2011. Smith homered in five consecutive games March 1-10. He became SAC player of the week on consecutive weeks Feb. 24-March 2 and March 3-9.
Wieck, a 6-foot-9 junior left-hander from Canyon, Texas, leads the NAIA with 15.27 strikeouts per nine innings and ranks seventh with 112 strikeouts. Wieck owns a 5-4 record, 2.45 ERA, four complete games, three shutouts and five saves in 66 innings.
In his last five starts, Wieck has allowed no runs in four of them while throwing three shutouts. Wieck was named SAC pitcher of the week three times in April.
Lacy, a sophomore outfielder from Edmond, Okla., has yet to commit an error in 63 chances this year. Lacy is hitting .299 with five homers, 21 RBIs and 12 stolen bases.
Oklahoma City (35-17) advanced to the SAC Tournament final for the second consecutive year. The Stars, ranked 16th in the NAIA, are likely to be included in the NAIA Championship Opening Round. Pairings will be announced Friday.
All-SAC

All-Sooner Athletic Conference
FIRST TEAM
Pitchers: Julian Merryweather, Oklahoma Baptist; Chris Pike, Oklahoma City; Jordan Morales, Oklahoma Baptist; Cody Gray, Northwood.
Relief pitcher: Andrew Millner, Oklahoma Baptist.
Catchers: Carlos Contreras, Northwood; Connor Lynch, Oklahoma City.
Infield: Steven Knudson, 1b, Oklahoma Baptist; Chris Musick, 2b, USAO; Jaime Gurrola, 3b, USAO; Ivan Vela, SS, Oklahoma Baptist; Forrest Smith, Utility, Oklahoma City.
Outfield: Matt Page, Oklahoma Baptist; Jake Howeth, Texas Wesleyan; Joey Szczepanski, Oklahoma Baptist; Jacob Ratliff, St. Gregory's.
Designated Hitter: Jeff Ricker, Oklahoma Baptist.
SECOND TEAM
Pitchers: Sam Martin, Texas Wesleyan; Tom Bailey, Wayland Baptist; Kelvin Rivas, Oklahoma Baptist; Brad Wieck, Oklahoma City.
Relief pitcher: Jinny Parra, Oklahoma Baptist.
Catchers: Tyler Doolittle, Wayland Baptist; Garrett Gallacher, Oklahoma Baptist.
Infield: Dakota Lee, 1b, Texas Wesleyan; Ridge Hoopii-Haslam, 2b, Oklahoma Baptist; Garrett Roberts, 3b, Oklahoma Baptist; Aaron Vallance, SS, Wayland Baptist; Eddie Malone, Utility, USAO.
Oufield: Josh Alexander, Wayland Baptist; Jason Gareri, Northwood; Casey Mullennix, Northwood; Warren Stehn, USAO.
Designated Hitter: Mark Davis, Wayland Baptist.
GOLD GLOVE TEAM
Pitcher: Josh Terrell, USAO.
Catcher: Connor Lynch, Oklahoma City.
Infield: Mason Mullen, 1b, Northwood; Ridge Hoopii-Haslem, 2b, Oklahoma Baptist; Nick Sheffield, 3b, Southwestern Assemblies of God; Ivan Vela, SS, Oklahoma Baptist.
Outfield: Jason Gareri, Northwood; Kyle Lacy, Oklahoma City; Josh Alexander, Wayland Baptist.

Player of the year: Matt Page, Oklahoma Baptist.
Coach of the year: Bobby Cox, Oklahoma Baptist.

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