Valparaiso University baseball sophomore Jon Tieman (Crystal Lake, Ill. / Prairie Ridge) was honored for his performance both academically and athletically on Tuesday as the right-handed pitcher was named to the 2018 Missouri Valley Conference Scholar-Athlete First Team. In addition, senior Giovanni Garbella (San Diego, Calif. / Cathedral Catholic) was named MVC Scholar-Athlete Honorable Mention.

Tieman picked up a team-high five overall wins and went 2-3 with a 3.73 ERA in seven Missouri Valley Conference starts this year, hurling a pair of complete games against Valley foes. Perhaps his best outing of the season came on May 11, when he limited the Redbirds to one run in a complete-game 2-1 victory. The team’s Friday starter throughout the season, Tieman racked up a season-high eight strikeouts in a complete-game victory over Evansville on April 20. He began the season by becoming the first Valpo underclassman pitcher to start on Opening Day since 2009.

Tieman, who also received 2018 all-MVC Honorable Mention recognition, is one of 13 players and only four pitchers to gain Scholar-Athlete First Team recognition. He also thrives in the classroom, where he owns a 3.82 cumulative GPA in business.

Garbella received the honor after hitting above .300 for the second consecutive season. The senior became the first Valpo male student-athlete in any sport to win the MVC Scholar-Athlete of the Week award on April 25. He owned a 3.39 cumulative GPA in finance.

The Valpo right fielder had a career-high four hits on April 17 at Illinois, helping the Crusaders to an upset victory over the No. 25 Fighting Illini. Garbella had three extra-base hits including a home run and recorded the go-ahead RBI in a 7-6 win over Big Ten foe Michigan State on April 13 in East Lansing.

2018 MVC Baseball Scholar-Athlete First Team

Michael Baird, Southern Illinois Sr. P 3.20 Speech Communications Parker, Colo. (Legend)

Jarod Bayless, DBU Jr. P 3.67 Kinesiology Texarkana, Texas (Northeast Texas CC)

Logan Blackfan, Southern Illinois+ Sr. 2B 3.33 Exercise Science Cordova, Tenn. (Houston)

Collin Braithwaite, Illinois State^ Sr. C 3.92 Spanish Queen Creek, Ariz. (Chandler Gilbert CC)

Devlin Granberg, DBU^ Sr. OF 4.00 Kinesiology Hudson, Colo. (Cisco College)

Kragen Kechely, DBU So. P 3.87 Sports Management Austin, Texas (Vista Ridge)

Drew Millas, Missouri State So. DH 3.33 Sales Management Swansea, Ill. (Belleville East)

Owen Miller, Illinois State^ Jr. SS 3.64 Business Administration Fredonia, Wis. (Ozaukee)

John Rave, Illinois State So. OF 3.90 International Business Bloomington, Ill. (Central Catholic)

Andy Shadid, Bradley Jr. OF 3.56 Business Peoria, Ill. (Notre Dame)

Luke Shadid, Bradley So. OF 3.64 Business Peoria, Ill. (Notre Dame)

Jon Tieman, Valparaiso So. P 3.82 Business Crystal Lake, Ill. (Prairie Ridge)

Ben Whetstone, Missouri State So. 1B 3.56 Business Overland Park, Kan. (Rockhurst)

+2016 First Team; ^2017 First Team

2018 MVC Baseball Scholar-Athlete Honorable Mention

Joe Aeilts, Illinois State So. 3B 3.89 Business Administration Champaign, Ill. (Champaign Cent)

Brendan Dougherty, Bradley So. 3B 3.51 Communications Des Moines, Iowa (Dowling Cath)

Jack Duffy, Missouri State So. OF 3.69 Advertising & Promotion Kansas City, Mo. (Staley)

Giovanni Garbella, Valparaiso Sr. OF 3.39 Finance San Diego, Calif. (Cathedral Catholic)

Alex Gray, Bradley Sr. P 3.52 Actuarial Science-Mathematics Marysville, Wash. (Everett CC)

Brad Harrison, Southern Illinois So. P 3.60 Civil Engineering O'Fallon, Ill. (O'Fallon)

Andrew Ivelia, Bradley Sr. 2B 3.51 Business Stevens, Wash. (Everett CC)

Jamison Steege, SIU Sr. P 3.78 Agricultural Systems Fredericksburg, Iowa (Kirkwood)

Tyler Ward, Indiana State Jr. P 3.53 Athletic Training Santa Claus, Ind. (Heritage Hills)