ST. LOUIS – Six players from the Southern Illinois baseball program earned spots on the All-Missouri Valley Conference teams, the league announced Monday evening. Pier-Olivier Boucher, Cole Christman, Jake Combs and Steven Loden were named to the Second Team Team while Paul Bonzagni and Matt Schark picked up Honorable Mention accolades. All player awards are voted on by the League’s head coaches.
Boucher led the Salukis with a .333 average at the plate in 55 starts. The outfielder recorded a team-high 76 hits, 42 RBIs and was second on the team with 15 home runs. He ranked in the top-5 in the MVC in average, slugging, hits, triples, and total bases while at the plate. The Saint-Joseph-de-Bauce, Quebec native led the Salukis and ranked third in the conference with 19 steals. His 15 home runs are tied for the fifth most in a single season in program history.
Christman hit .308/.389/.533 while starting in 47 games behind the plate for the Salukis. He recorded 52 hits and drove in 34 runners while scoring 36 times himself. A St. Louis, Mo. native, Christman also tied for the MVC lead in runners thrown out with 17.
A right-hander, Combs started 14 games for the Salukis and led the team with a 3.02 ERA. He struck out 44 and walked just 12 hitters over 59.2 innings on the mound, holding opponents to a .257 average against. The Houston, Texas native allowed just 17 extra-base hits on the year and finished the regular season with a 3-2 record.
Loden put together a breakout season on the diamond for the Salukis as the transfer infielder led the team with 18 home runs – which is the second-most in a single season in program history. His 54 RBIs led the team and ranks 30th all-time in SIU single-season history. The Lower Gwynedd, Pa. native hit .257/.317/.560 in 55 starts and committed just two errors in the field for a .992 fielding percent at second base.
Shark solidified himself as an everyday starter at first base early in the season and has not looked back. He hit .265/.373/.524 in 147 at bats. The junior had 10 home runs and drove in 31 runs for the Salukis recording three of SIU’s six walk-off base hits this season. Shark was also strong defensively with only three errors in the field.
Bonzagni led the Salukis with eight wins (2nd in the MVC) on the mound, despite starting only four games. He finished the season with an 8-4 record and a 5.04 ERA in 23 appearances. The reliever pitched 55.1 innings and struck out 49 batters. He also led the team with three saves. His eight wins are the third-most wins for any Saluki pitcher since 1990.
This press release first featured on siusalukis.com
