Sam Houston Catcher Azar Named Southland Baseball Player of the Year
Southland Conference
FRISCO, Texas – Sam Houston State catcher Anthony Azar has been named the Southland Conference Player of the Year by a vote of the league’s head coaches and sports information directors, the conference announced Monday in conjunction with the release of its all-conference teams. The senior is the first Bearkat to earn the sport’s top honor.
Lamar senior shortstop Sam Bumpers was tabbed the conference’s hitter of the year while Nicholls senior left-handed pitcher Taylor Byrd was named the conference’s pitcher of the year. Oral Roberts junior right-handed pitcher Jordan Romano was named the Southland relief pitcher, and Southeastern Louisiana junior outfielder Andrew Godbold was selected as the newcomer of the year. Northwestern State freshman right-handed pitcher Adam Oller was named the freshman of the year. Nicholls head coach Seth Thibodeaux was named the Clay Gould Coach of the Year for the first time.
Azar ranked among the Southland’s top-five players in seven different categories, including leading the league in slugging percentage (.558). The senior from The Woodlands, Texas (The Woodlands H.S.), also ranked second in RBI (44) and total bases (111), third in batting average (.369) and home runs (nine) and fourth in hits (76) and on-base percentage (.450). Azar was one of the toughest hitters to strike out in the nation, going down only 11 times in 206 at bats and drawing 22 walks. Azar, who has helped the Bearkats to their first 40-win regular season since 1987, has thrown out 19 attempted base-stealers on the year, which is tied for the conference lead. Azar managed the second best pitching staff in the conference with a 2.81 team ERA, which ranks in the top 25 nationally. He also is Sam Houston’s first semifinalist for the Johnny Bench Award, which goes to the nation’s top catcher. Sam Houston earned the top seed in this week’s tournament after winning its third consecutive regular-season title.
Bumpers ranked in the top 10 in almost every offensive category, including ranking first in the league in total bases (116). The senior from Bourbornnais, Ill. (Bradley-Bourbornnais H.S.), was second behind Azar in slugging percentage (.527), tied for third in triples (three) and tied for fourth in hits (76). Last season’s newcomer of the year also tied for sixth in doubles (14), tied for eighth in home runs (six) and tied for seventh in runs scored (43). Bumpers’ .345 batting average was eighth-best in the league and led the Cardinals’ offense along with his .413 on-base percentage, which was 10th-best in the Southland. Bumpers batted a league-best .427 in conference games, and earned national player of the week recognition earlier in the season after going 7-for-7 with three home runs against McNeese State. Bumpers and the Cardinals’ closed the regular season with two wins against Oral Roberts to clinch the eighth and final spot in the league’s tournament.
Byrd was named the Southland’s top pitcher after ranking second the league with a 1.92 earned-run average. His 80 strikeouts this season also ranks second in the league and his eight wins are third best. Twenty-four of his 80 strikeouts caught batters looking, which is the sixth highest in the conference. The senior from Petal, Miss. (Petal H.S.), tossed 89.0 innings while allowing 19 earned runs. In 14 starts, Byrd walked only 27 batters while limiting opponents to a .246 batting average against him. He led Nicholls to its best conference season in history, finishing second with a 21-9 mark. Byrd struck out a season-high 11 hitters against Nicholls’ 3-0 shutout win against Louisiana-Monroe, Feb. 21.
Romano is the sixth recipient of the conference’s relief pitcher of the year award and the first ORU player to receive the honor. The senior from Markham, Ontario (Father Michael McGivney Catholic Academy), led the league with 12 saves this year. His 12 saves were four more than the next highest conference reliever and are tied for 13th most in the nation. He tied for third in the conference with 29 appearances and struck out 49 batters. Opponents got just six extra-base hits against him and managed to hit just .221. The Golden Eagle did not give up a home run on the season.
Oller becomes the first Demon to be named the league’s freshman of the year. The freshman from Conroe, Texas (Concordia Lutheran H.S.), was the league’s top freshman with a 2.18 ERA, which ranked third overall. He tied for 11th in the Southland with six wins and tossed the 15th-most innings (86.2). He led the team with three complete games. Oller was an integral part in Northwestern State’s historic season. After finishing a season ago with a 5-22 conference record, the Demons tied for third this year with a 19-11 conference mark. The 14-game improvement is the best in conference history.
Godbold is the second Southeastern Louisiana player to earn newcomer of the year award, joining Anthony Garibaldi (2003). The junior from Oak Park, Ill. (Oak Park and River Forest H.S.), led the Lions with eight home runs and was second with a .353 batting average, which were fourth-and fifth-best in the Southland, respectively. The third-team all-conference selection led the league with 50 RBI, ranked third with 108 total bases and a .454 on-base percentage, fourth with a .522 slugging percentage and seventh with his 73 hits. Godbold and the Lions finished fifth in the league with an 18-12 mark and take 33-23 overall record into the conference tournament.
Houston Baptist’s Jones is the first recipient of the league’s utility player of the year award. The junior from Cypress, Texas (Cypress Ranch H.S.), led the Huskies with a .361 batting average and was also first on the team in runs scored (33) and hits (82). He recorded five doubles on the year and was the toughest Husky to strike out, having only fanned 16 times in 227 at bats. On the mound as HBU’s No. 2 starter, pitched a team-high 89.0 innings and posted a 3.64 ERA, which was second among the Huskies’ starting pitchers. Jones went 4-5 in 13 starts and recorded 42 strikeouts while issuing only 21 walks. Jones led the Huskies with two complete games on the year.
After guiding the Colonels to a second-place regular-season finish, Thibodeaux was tabbed the Southland coach of the year. Nicholls finished 21-9 in conference play and will take a 32-24 overall record as the No. 2 seed into conference tournament later this week. Thibodeaux is the first Colonel coach to earn this distinction after having a 12-win turnaround in conference play from a season ago. The Colonels finished ninth in the standings last year with a 9-18 league mark and a 26-29 overall record. Nicholls is the first team in conference history to win more than 20 league games the season after posting single-digit conference wins.
Three teams placed five student-athletes on the three all-conference teams, including Sam Houston, Texas A&M-Corpus Christi and Oral Roberts. Leading the way for the Bearkats are first-team selection Azar, second-team members junior first baseman Ryan O’Hearn, junior outfielder Colt Atwood and junior pitcher Tyler Eppler and third-team pick junior outfielder Hayden Simerly. For the Islanders, senior third baseman Brandon Tierney received first-team accolades, junior pitcher Matt Danton earned a second-team nod while senior second baseman Cody Stephens, junior outfielder Tyler Ware and senior catcher Russell Vaughn were tabbed third-team all-conference. Oral Roberts placed two on the first team with senior outfielder Tyler Boss and senior pitcher Pepe Gomez, two on the second team with junior second baseman Matt Brandy and junior shortstop Jose Trevino and one on the third team with Romano.
McNeese led all teams with three first-team selections, including senior first baseman Chayse Marion, junior second baseman Andrew Guillotte and senior outfielder Jackson Gooch. Lamar placed Bumpers on the first team while Central Arkansas had senior outfielder Doug Votolato on the team. Rounding out the squad is Nicholls pitcher Byrd, Southeastern Louisiana junior pitcher Andro Cutura and Stephen F. Austin senior designated hitter Mackenzie Handel.
Lamar and McNeese each placed four players on the three all-conference teams, followed by Northwestern State and Nicholls with three selections each. Central Arkansas and Southeastern Louisiana placed two on the squads, while Stephen F. Austin, Abilene Christian and New Orleans each had one selection.
Another 17 student-athletes earned honorable mention after earning votes from at least 25 percent of the league’s coaches and sports information directors.
Five of the 36 all-conference players were repeat selections, including Azar, who is making his third appearance. McNeese’s Marion and Gooch are making their second appearance along with shortstops Bumpers and Trevino from Oral Roberts.
The 2014 Southland Conference Baseball Tournament gets underway Wednesday at Bear Stadium on the campus of Central Arkansas in Conway, Ark. Tickets to the event are available online at
www.ucasports.com/tickets. All games of the tournament will be streamed live on the Southland Conference Digital Network, with the exception of the championship game, which is available exclusively on ESPN3. The winner of the double-elimination tournament earns the league’s automatic berth into the NCAA tournament, which starts May 30 with regional play.
2014 Southland All-Conference Teams
|
First Team |
|
|
|
|
Pos. |
Name |
University |
Class |
Hometown |
|
1B |
Chayse Marion2 |
McNeese State |
Sr. |
Red Deer, Alberta |
|
2B |
Andrew Guillotte |
McNeese State |
Jr. |
Moss Bluff, La. |
|
3B |
Brandon Tierney |
A&M-Corpus Christi |
Sr. |
Arlington, Texas |
|
SS |
Sam Bumpers2 |
Lamar |
Sr. |
Bourbornnais, Ill. |
|
OF |
Tyler Boss |
Oral Roberts |
Sr. |
Spring, Texas |
|
OF |
Doug Votolato |
Central Arkansas |
Sr. |
Flower Mound, Texas |
|
OF |
Jackson Gooch2 |
McNeese State |
Sr. |
Delta, British Columbia |
|
C |
Anthony Azar3 |
Sam Houston State |
Sr. |
The Woodlands, Texas |
|
DH |
Mackenzie Handel |
Stephen F. Austin |
Sr. |
Chandler, Ariz. |
|
P |
Taylor Byrd |
Nicholls |
Sr. |
Petal, Miss. |
|
P |
Andro Cutura |
Southeastern La. |
Jr. |
Pearl River, La. |
|
P |
Pepe Gomez |
Oral Roberts |
Sr. |
Tucson, Ariz. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Second Team |
|
|
|
|
Pos. |
Name |
University |
Class |
Hometown |
|
1B |
Ryan O’Hearn |
Sam Houston State |
Jr. |
Frisco, Texas |
|
2B |
Matt Brandy |
Oral Roberts |
Jr. |
Tampa, Fla. |
|
3B |
Chase Daughdrill |
Northwestern State |
Jr. |
Bossier City, La. |
|
SS |
Jose Trevino2 |
Oral Roberts |
Jr. |
Corpus Christi, Texas |
|
OF |
Colt Atwood |
Sam Houston State |
Jr. |
Katy, Texas |
|
OF |
Jude Vidrine |
Lamar |
Sr. |
Nederland, Texas |
|
OF |
Keith Cormier |
Nicholls |
Sr. |
Channelview, Texas |
|
C |
Seth Spivey |
Abilene Christian |
Sr. |
Brenham, Texas |
|
DH |
Billy Sommers |
McNeese State |
So. |
Moss Bluff, La. |
|
P |
Matt Danton |
A&M-Corpus Christi |
Jr. |
Conroe, Texas |
|
P |
Tyler Eppler |
Sam Houston State |
Jr. |
Navasota, Texas |
|
P |
Adam Oller |
Northwestern State |
Fr. |
Conroe, Texas |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Third Team |
|
|
|
|
Pos. |
Name |
University |
Class |
Hometown |
|
1B |
Caleb Dugas |
Northwestern State |
Jr. |
Raymond, Miss. |
|
2B |
Cody Stephens |
A&M-Corpus Christi |
Sr. |
Concord, Calif. |
|
3B |
Reed Seely |
Lamar |
Jr. |
Baytown, Texas |
|
SS |
Samuel Capielano |
New Orleans |
Fr. |
River Ridge, La. |
|
OF |
Andrew Godbold |
Southeastern La. |
Jr. |
Oak Park, Ill. |
|
OF |
Hayden Simerly |
Sam Houston State |
Jr. |
Round Rock, Texas |
|
OF |
Tyler Ware |
A&M-Corpus Christi |
Jr. |
Omaha, Neb. |
|
C |
Russell Vaughn |
A&M-Corpus Christi |
Sr. |
Mesa, Ariz. |
|
DH |
Kyle Markum |
Lamar |
Jr. |
Beaumont, Texas |
|
P |
Grant Borne |
Nicholls |
So. |
Baton Rouge, La. |
|
P |
Bryce Biggerstaff |
Central Arkansas |
Sr. |
Sherwood, Ark. |
|
P |
Jordan Romano |
Oral Roberts |
Jr. |
Markham, Ontario |
2Two-Time All-Conference
3Three-Time All-Conference
Honorable Mention – First Base: Brandon Provost, Lamar.
Second Base: Chris Townsend, Central Arkansas.
Third Base: Carter Burgess, Sam Houston State.
Shortstop: Corey Toups, Sam Houston State; Leo Vargas, Nicholls.
Outfield: Jordan Lee, A&M-Corpus Christi; Jacob Middleton, Lamar; Jesse Hoover, UIW; Jordan McCoy, Houston Baptist; Ricardo Sanchez, Stephen F. Austin.
Catcher: Jameson Fisher, Southeastern La.
Designated Hitter: Daniel Midyett, Southeastern La.
Pitchers: Jason Simms, Sam Houston State; Trevor Belicek, A&M-Corpus Christi; Geno Encina, UIW; Dillon Mangham, Stephen F. Austin; Guillermo Trujillo, Oral Roberts.
2014 Southland Conference Individual Awards
Player of the Year: Anthony Azar, Sam Houston State
Hitter of the Year: Sam Bumpers, Lamar
Pitcher of the Year: Taylor Byrd, Nicholls
Relief Pitcher of the Year: Jordan Romano, Oral Roberts
Freshman of the Year: Adam Oller, Northwestern State
Newcomer of the Year: Andrew Godbold, Southeastern Louisiana
Utility Player of the Year: Curtis Jones, Houston Baptist
Clay Gould Coach of the Year: Seth Thibodeaux, Nicholls