Horizon League Announces Baseball All-Conference Teams

INDIANAPOLIS – The 2017 Horizon League Baseball All-Conference Teams have been announced, with UIC earning four of the conference’s five specialty honors. UIC junior catcher Rob Calabrese has been voted Horizon League Player of the Year. Senior left-handed pitcher Jake Dahlberg of UIC was tabbed Pitcher of the Year, while Flames sophomore Alex Padilla earned Relief Pitcher of the Year accolades. UIC head coach Mike Dee was named Coach of the Year after guiding his team to the regular season title. Wright State freshman pitcher Ryan Weiss picked up Freshman of the Year honors.

The All-Conference teams, which include a first- and second-team and an All-Freshman team, are voted on by the Horizon League’s head coaches.

Calabrese put up an impressive offensive season for the regular-season champions, batting .383 in conference play with a .591 slugging percentage and a .426 on base percentage. The Staten Island, N.Y., native led the league in doubles (15) during Horizon League play and ranked in the top 10 in batting, slugging, on base percentage, hits, runs batted in, total bases and sacrifice flies. In all games, he led the league with 22 doubles and ranked second in batting (.362) and runs batted in (47).

Dahlberg won eight conference games, three more than the next-best win total, and posted a 2.82 earned run average in Horizon League games. The left-hander from Vancouver, Wash., limited opponents to a league-best .172 batting average in his 60.2 innings. In all games, Dahlberg sported a 2.25 ERA and held opposing hitter to a .168 average against.

Padilla did not allow an earned run during Horizon League play en route to the Relief Pitcher of the Year award. The sophomore from Chicago earned seven saves in league action and struck out more batters (18) than recorded hits against him (14). Against all competition, Padilla yielded just two earned runs in 25 appearances.

Wright State freshman pitcher Ryan Weiss impressed in his debut collegiate season with a 7-1 overall record and a 2.09 earned run average. In Horizon League play, the South Elgin, Ill., native posted a 2.34 ERA and tied for the league lead with 53 strike outs. Weiss went 5-1 in conference games

UIC’s Mike Dee was voted Horizon League Coach of the Year for the 10th time in his career – the most for any baseball coach in conference history. Dee led the Flames to the regular-season championship with a 22-8 record, 36-15 overall. The Flames paced the Horizon League in batting, on base percentage, earned run average, opposing batting average

The 2017 Horizon League Baseball Championship will take place May 24-27 at Les Miller Field at Granderson Stadium on the campus of UIC. Fans can learn more about the championship via Championship Central.

2017 Horizon League Baseball All-Conference Teams
Player of the Year: Rob Calabrese, UIC
Pitcher of the Year: Jake Dahlberg, UIC
Relief Pitcher of the Year: Alex Padilla, UIC
Freshman of the Year: Ryan Weiss, Wright State
Coach of the Year: Mike Dee, UIC

First Team All-Conference
SP: Jay Peters, Milwaukee
SP: Jake Dahlberg, UIC
SP: Ryan Weiss, Wright State
RP: Alex Padilla, UIC
C: Rob Calabrese, UIC
1B: Trey Ganns, Northern Kentucky
2B: Matt Morrow, Wright State
3B: Ben Chally, Milwaukee
SS: Cody Bohanek, UIC
OF: T.J. Alas, Northern Kentucky
OF: Jake Richmond, Northern Kentucky
OF: Tyler Pagano, Oakland
DH: Chad Roberts, Northern Kentucky

Second Team All-Conference
SP: Jake Andersen, UIC
SP: Reid Birlingmair, UIC
SP: Danny Sexton, Wright State
RP: Derek Hendrixson, Wright State
C: Daulton Varsho, Milwaukee
1B: Zach Sterry, Oakland
2B: David Cronin, UIC
3B: Seth Gray, Wright State
SS: Trevor Schwecke, Milwaukee
OF: Emerson Misch, Oakland
OF: Mickey McDonald, UIC
OF: James Stea, Valparaiso
DH: Jake Hanson, Valparaiso

All-Freshman Team
Trevor Schwecke, Milwaukee
Tyler Trovinger, Oakland
Jacob Key, UIC
Christian Barczi, Valparaiso
Easton Rhodehouse, Valparaiso
Jon Tieman, Valparaiso
Seth Gray, Wright State
Ryan Weiss, Wright State
Lou Cardona, Youngstown State