Wright State's Hibberd named baseball Player of the Year, Milwaukee's Pierce tabbed Pitcher of the Year

INDIANAPOLIS – Thirty four individuals have earned 2011 Horizon League baseball postseason honors. The list is highlighted by five specialty award winners -- Jake Hibberd (Player of the Year), Chad Pierce (Pitcher of the Year), Michael Schum (Relief Pitcher of the Year), Corey Davis (Newcomer of the Year) and Rob Cooper (Coach of the Year).

Hibberd, a junior infielder from Wright State, is atop the League’s batting statistics, batting .415 with a 456 on-base percentage and a .627 slugging percentage.  He also paces the circuit with 90 hits, 54 RBI, 19 doubles, 136 total bases and nine home runs.  The Miamisburg, Ohio native has recorded 30 multi-hit games this season, including three or more hits in a game 14 times, and had a 21-game hitting streak to go along with his current 11-game streak.  

Pierce, a senior right-hander from Milwaukee, places among League leaders in innings pitched (3rd, 93.2), earned run average (9th, 3.07), batting average against (9th, .240), strikeouts (4th, 75), and wins (T-3rd, 6).  The Fon Du Lac, Wis., native, who was the 2010 Newcomer of the Year, has guided the Panthers to a 27-26 overal record and 15-10-1 Horizon League mark and a third seed in this year’s championship tournament.

Schum, a junior right-hander from Wright State, is leading the League’s pitchers as he owns a 1.54 ERA, has picked up nine wins, nine saves and has finished 26 games for the Raiders.  The Bright, Ind., native was named Newcomer of the Year in 2009.

Davis, a junior catcher from WSU, ranks among the League’s statistical leaders in slugging percentage (4th, .546), RBI (6th, 37), doubles (T-5th, 15), and home runs (2nd, 8).  The Happy Valley, Ore., native is just the third Raider to pick up the accolade.

Cooper earns his second consecutive honor after guiding Wright State to its second straight Horizon League regular-season title.  The Raiders posted a 33-17 overall record and 16-7 conference mark, earning the top seed in the 2011 Horizon League Championship.        

Hibberd, Pierce, Schum and Davis are joined on the All-League First team by Cleveland State’s Alex Johnson, Milwaukee’s Cole Kraft and Doug Dekoning, UIC’s Andy Leonard, Valparaiso’s Will Hagel, and Wright State’s Justin Kopale, Zach Tanner, Casey Henn, andTristan Moore.   The full list of First-team, Second-team and All-Newcomer teams are listed below.

The Horizon League Baseball Championship begins on Wednesday, May 25, at Nischwitz Stadium in Dayton, Ohio, hosted by Wright State.  The winner of the six-team double-elimination tournament will receive an automatic bid into the NCAA tournament.

The tournament will begin with two games on Wednesday (11 a.m. & 3 p.m.), three contests on Thursday (11 a.m., 3 p.m. & 7 p.m.), three affairs on Friday (11 a.m., 3 p.m. & 7 p.m.) and two tilts on Saturday (11 a.m. & 3 p.m.). The "if necessary" game is slated for Sunday at 11 a.m.

Valparaiso and Butler will open tournament play on Wednesday at 11 a.m ET, followed by Milwaukee and Youngstown State at 3pm.

UIC will play its first tournament game on Thursday at 3 p.m., while Wright State begins play that day at 7 p.m.

Both Saturday affairs and Sunday's "if necessary" tilt will be shown live on the Horizon League Network (www.horizonleague.com).

PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Jake Hibberd (Wright State, Jr., 1B)

PITCHER OF THE YEAR
Chad Pierce (Milwaukee, Sr., RHP)

RELIEF PITCHER OF THE YEAR
Michael Schum (Wright State, Jr., RHP)

NEWCOMER OF THE YEAR
Corey Davis (Wright State, Jr., C)

COACH OF THE YEAR
Rob Cooper (Wright State)

FIRST TEAM ALL-LEAGUE
P -- Chad Pierce (Milwaukee, Sr.)
P -- Michael Schum (Wright State, Jr.)
C -- Corey Davis (Wright State, Jr.)
1B -- Jake Hibberd (Wright State, Jr.)
2B -- Cole Kraft (Milwaukee, Sr.)
SS -- Justin Kopale (Wright State, So.)
3B -- Zach Tanner (Wright State, Jr.)
OF -- Doug Dekoning (Milwaukee, Sr.)
OF -- Tristan Moore (Wright State, Jr.)
OF -- Alex Johnson (Cleveland State, Jr.)
DH -- Will Hagel (Valparaiso, Jr.)
UT -- Andy Leonard (UIC, Sr.)

SECOND TEAM ALL-LEAGUE
P -- Dom Silvestri (Butler, Sr.)   
P -- Phil Klein (Youngstown State, Sr.)
C -- Mike Letzer (Butler, Sr.)
1B -- Grant Filipitch (Butler, Sr.)
2B -- Matt Serna (UIC, RS Sr.)
SS -- Luke Duncan (Butler, Sr.)
SS -- Tell Taylor (Milwaukee, Fr.)
3B -- Jason Ganek (UIC, Sr.)
OF -- Dan Marsh (Wright State, Sr.)
OF -- Kyle Gaedele (Valparaiso, Jr.)
OF -- Jon Capasso (Milwaukee, So.)
UT -- Robbie Robinson (Valparaiso, Sr.)

ALL-NEWCOMER TEAM
P -- Chris Hoffman (UIC, Jr.)
P -- Kevin Upp (Valparaiso, Fr.)
C -- Corey Davis (Wright State, Jr.)
1B -- Ryan Solberg (Milwaukee, Fr.)
SS -- Tell Taylor (Milwaukee, Fr.)
3B -- Pat Guinane (Butler, Fr.)
3B -- Bobby Martin (Valparaiso, Jr.)
3B -- Zach Tanner (Wright State, Jr.)
3B -- Drew Dosch (Youngstown State, Fr.)
OF -- Jon Ryan (UIC, Fr.)
OF -- Chris Manning (Valparaiso, Fr.)
UT -- Alex De LaRosa (UIC, Rs. So.)

NOTE: The All-League Teams are position specific
NOTE: The All-Newcomer Team is NOT position specific