2016 GLIAC Baseball Postseason Award Winners
 
Malone University starting pitcher Braun Miller was selected as the 2016 GLIAC Freshman Pitcher of the Year at the annual GLIAC baseball postseason awards banquet held Wednesday night on the eve of the GLIAC Baseball Tournament. Teammates Richie Mast and Brenden Wells received All-GLIAC Second Team recognition while Jon Crank and Keanan Locke were announced as members of the All-GLIAC Honorable Mention Team. The fivesome helped the Pioneers finish the regular season with a 26-22 overall record and an 18-12 mark in conference. Malone's third place finish was the highest since joining the GLIAC.
 
Braun Miller (Sandusky, Ohio / Sandusky Perkins H.S.) won the GLIAC Freshman Pitcher of the Year award following an outstanding rookie campaign that saw him go 4-1 and lead the team with a 3.57 ERA. The 6'4" southpaw finished 6th in the GLIAC in ERA and 3rd in WHIP (1.21). Among GLIAC freshmen, he was number one in ERA and 4th in strikeouts (37). Miller, who was nearly unhittable at times this season, led all pitchers in fewest hits allowed per nine innings (6.62). He struck out a career-high seven batters on two different occasions and twice pitched into the seventh in Malone shutout victories, allowing only one hit in each.
 
Senior shortstop Richie Mast (Winesburg, Ohio / Berlin Hiland H.S.) was selected to the All-GLIAC Second Team after hitting a career-best .339 while scoring 34 runs and collecting 25 RBI. Of his 63 hits, ten went for extra bases including seven doubles, two triples, and his second career homerun. Among GLIAC shortstops, Mast finished 1st in runs scored, 2nd in batting average, and 3rd in RBI. Defensively, Mast was 1st in putouts (76), 2nd in assists (133), and 3rd in fielding percentage (.941).
 
Junior rightfielder Brenden Wells (Beloit, Ohio / West Branch H.S.) received similar All-GLIAC Second Team honors after a tremendous season in which he finished 6th in the GLIAC in hitting (.379) and 9th in OBP (.458). Wells clubbed five homeruns and tallied 37 RBI while scoring 34 runs. On the season, he collected 12 doubles, two triples, four stolen bases, and two outfield assists. Over the last two-thirds of the season, Wells hit .427 including a .417 mark in conference.
 
Senior third baseman Jon Crank (Louisville, Ohio / Louisville H.S.) and junior centerfielder Keanan Locke (Minerva, Ohio, Minerva H.S.) were recognized All-GLIAC Honorable Mention following monster seasons. Crank hit .295 and finished 7th in the league in homers (11) and 10th in RBI (44). Crank became Malone's all-time walks leader with 119 free passes including a team-high 30 bases on balls this season He tallied a .391 OBP, led the league with six sacrifice flies, and was second on the team with 41 runs. 
 
Locke, meanwhile, led the Pioneers with 42 runs and 10 stolen bases while batting .351 with seven homers and 34 RBI from his leadoff spot. Locke was hitting over.400 for much of the season before a hitting slow stretch in late April. As streaky a hitter as they come, Locke had two separate double-digit hit streaks including a 17-game stretch and a 21-game stretch early in the spring that dated back to two seasons ago. He enters the GLIAC Tournament with eight hits in his past four games.
 
Malone will face Wayne State University (MI) in their first game of the GLIAC Tournament on Thursday, May 12th. Preview Notes are available by clicking here.
 
For a complete list of GLIAC Award winners, visit the link at the top of the page.