Wednesday, May 23, 2007

Valparaiso University had four players earn Second Team All Mid-Continent Conference accolades when the league handed out its annual postseason awards on Wednesday evening.

Crusader shortstop Jeff Rickert (Hamilton, Ohio/Fairfield H.S.), outfielder Michael Arensdorff (Eldridge, Iowa/North Scott H.S.), designated hitter Dallas Cawiezell (Long Grove, Iowa/North Scott H.S.), and starting pitcher Harvey Yergin (Akron, Ohio/Cuyahoga Valley Christian Academy) all were recognized for their play throughout the 2007 season.

Rickert, a senior, has had his finest season for the Brown and Gold, hitting .333, second on the team. He has a team-leading 10 sacrifice bunts, has homered twice, and driven in 22 runs while starting all 53 games for the Crusaders. Rickert has scored a team-high 42 runs this year.

Arensdorff, a senior, set the Mid-Con and school career hit record earlier this season. Hitting a team-best .340, he returns to the All-Conference Team for the second time in his career. He has tallied 16 doubles this season as part of his 71 hits, while starting all 53 games as well. He has crossed the plate 39 times on the year, and is four runs shy of the school record for a career.

Cawiezell, a junior, has hit a team-leading five homers while driving in 24 runs. He has tallied a .421 slugging percentage this year. In addition, Cawiezell has come out of the bullpen to register six saves in 35.1 innings of work. In league play, he has allowed a miniscule 0.68 earned run average.

Yergin, a senior, has started a team-high 14 games, posting four victories for the Brown and Gold. His 91.2 innings of work have helped him set Valpo's career record in that category, and he has struck out a team high 53 hitters this season. He has posted a 4.42 ERA on the season, notching a 2-1 record in Mid-Con action.

Valparaiso (21-32, 10-10 Mid-Con) is the third seed in this weekend's Mid-Continent Conference Tournament held in Macomb, Ill. The Crusaders will face Western Illinois, the second seed, on Thursday at 3 p.m. in the first round of the double elimination event.