2018 All-Arkansas Collegiate Team

Natural State Baseball is pleased to announce its 2018 All-Arkansas Collegiate Team and Awards.

The University of Arkansas was the 2018 Team of the Year. The Razorbacks went 48-21 this year and reached the College World Series Championship Series. After a 21-12 conference season, the Razorbacks earned a #5 national seed. They went 3-0 in the Fayetteville regional and 2-1 in the Fayetteville Super Regional to advance to the ninth College World Series in program history. In Omaha they recorded wins over Texas, Texas Tech, and Florida to advance to the Championship Series, where they went 1-2 against Oregon State.

Dave Van Horn is the Natural State Baseball Coach of the Year. In his fifteen seasons as the head coach of the Arkansas Razorbacks, he has led the team to fourteen NCAA Tournament appearances and five trips to the College World Series.

Southern Arkansas’s Jacob Richardson is the Player of the Year. The senior third baseman for the Muleriders was the Great American Conference Player of the Year and an All-GAC First-Team selection. He batted .374 this season and had a state-leading 23 doubles to go with 13 home runs. He also drove in 71 runs, the most in Arkansas. Richardson was also a member of the Natural State Baseball All-Arkansas team in 2017.

Blaine Knight of Arkansas is the Pitcher of the Year. The junior right-hander went 14-0 this year, with a 2.80 ERA and 102 strikeouts in a state-leading 112.1 innings pitched. He led the SEC and was second nationally in wins. Knight was selected in the third round of the MLB draft. Knight, a native of Bryant, Arkansas, is also the winner of The Natural, given each year to the best player originally from the state of Arkansas.

The Freshman of the year is Razorback left fielder Heston Kjerstad. Kjerstad batted .332 with 16 doubles and 14 home runs batting in the middle of the Razorback’s lineup all year.

All-Arkansas Team

Catcher – JT Stalnaker, Ecclesia (.426, 15 doubles, 11 HR / selected for the third straight year!)

First – Kylan Barnett, Lyon (.370, 17 doubles, 9 HR)
Second – Andres Rios, Arkansas-Monticello (.354, 14 doubles, 9 HR)
Third – Jacob Richardson, Southern Arkansas (.374, 23 doubles, 13 HR, 71 RBI)
Shortstop – Garrett Dodd, Arkansas-Monticello (.326, 17 doubles, 9 HR)
Left Field – Heston Kjerstad, Arkansas (.332, 16 doubles, 14 HR)
Center Field – Matt Garrison, Ecclesia (.398, 9 HR, 40 SB)
Right Field – Jared Johnson, North Arkansas (.447, 11 doubles, 18 HR)
Designated Hitter – Kyle MacDonald, Arkansas St. (.346, 12 doubles, 15 HR)

Starting Pitcher – Blaine Knight, Arkansas (14-0, 2.80, 102 K)
Starting Pitcher – Tyson Campbell, Lyon (13-2, 2.78, 116 K)
Starting Pitcher – Mason Alexander, Ecclesia (9-2, 1.62, 68 K)
Relief Pitcher – Taylor Langston, Henderson St. (2-2, 1.63, 9 saves)
Relief Pitcher – Matt Cronin, Arkansas (2-2, 3.54, 59 K, 14 saves)
Pitcher – Ben Madison, Central Baptist (6-6, 2.70, 172 K, 9 complete games)
Pitcher – Justin Garcia, Little Rock (4-5, 3.37, 80 K, 10 saves)

Player of the Year – Jacob Richardson, Southern Arkansas
Pitcher of the Year – Blaine Knight, University of Arkansas
Freshman of the Year – Heston Kjerstad, University of Arkansas
The Natural – Blaine Knight, University of Arkansas
Coach of the Year – Dave Van Horn, University of Arkansas
Team of the Year – Arkansas Razorbacks

Honorable mention:

Korbin Polly (UAFS), Dion Wiliams (UAFS), Sean Wagner (UAM), Brian Ray (UAM), Hayes Cox (ATU), Riley Hickerson (ATU), Jose Delmar (CBC), Brett Luna (CBC), Austin Kuchinski (CBC), Bryant Haralson (HSU), Hunter Vasquez (SAU), Jacob Stroder (SAU), Eric White (SAU), Dakota Wright (SAU), Patrick Clifford (UO), Maddison Bates (Ecclesia), Jeremy Green (Ecclesia), Stevie Morphew (Ecclesia), Jeremy Brown (ASU), Kacey Murphy (UA), Barrett Loeske (UA), Casey Martin (UA), Carson Shaddy (UA), Eric Cole (UA), Dominic Fletcher (UA)