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)

Opening Days Video!

2017 All-Arkansas Team

2017 All-Arkansas Collegiate Team

Natural State Baseball is pleased to announce its 2017 All-Arkansas Collegiate Team and Awards.

The University of Arkansas was the 2017 Team of the Year. The Razorbacks went 45-19 this year, improving on a 26-29 season a year ago. After a solid showing in the SEC Tournament, including a no-hitter and two run-ruled shutouts, Arkansas hosted a regional in Fayetteville and advanced to the regional final.

Justin Pettigrew, first year coach of Southern Arkansas, is the 2017 Coach of the Year. Pettigrew has been with the Muleriders since 2005 and was promoted to head coach following the 2016 season. He led the Muleriders to a 39-16 record, including 28-5 in conference, a 9 game improvement on the previous season. The team advanced to the NCAA regional tournament.

Southern Arkansas’ Trevor Rucker is the 2017 Player of the Year and the winner of The Natural, which is awarded to the top player from the state of Arkansas. Rucker, a native of Prescott, batted .393 with 20 homeruns and 20 doubles, and stole 20 bases. Rucker was the Natural State Baseball Freshman of the Year in 2014.

Tyler Tognarine of Lyon is the 2017 Pitcher of the Year. He went 11-5 with a 1.99 ERA and picked up 4 saves. He had 92 strikeouts in 113.1 innings. Tognarine has previously been named to the Natural State Baseball All-Arkansas teams in 2016 and 2015, and was the Freshman of the Year in 2015.

The Freshman of the Year is Nick Kreutzer of Arkansas Baptist College. Kreutzer hit .404 on the season with 14 homeruns, 12 doubles, and 2 triples. He drove in 57 runs.





All-Arkansas Team
Catcher – JT Stalnaker, Ecclesia (.399, 7 homeruns, 18 doubles, 49 RBI)
First – Chad Spanberger, Arkansas (.305, 20 homeruns, 13 doubles, 67 RBI)
Second – Jalin Lawson, CBC (.392, 11 homeruns, 22 doubles, 20 SB, 50 RBI)
Third – Jacob Richardson, SAU (.364, 8 homeruns, 17 doubles, 46 RBI)
Shortstop – Dylan McDearmon, ATU (.353, 8 homeruns, 17 doubles)
Left Field – Dion Williams, UAFS (.351, 8 homeruns, 17 doubles, 11 triples)
Center Field – Drew Judson, Hendrix (.395, 11 doubles, 44 RBI, 10 SB)
Right Field – Trevor Rucker, SAU (.393, 20 homeruns, 20 doubles, 20 SB, 67 runs)
Designated Hitter – Nick Kreutzer, ABC (.404, 14 homeruns, 12 doubles, 57 RBI)
Starting Pitcher – Tyler Tognarine, Lyon (11-5, 1.99 ERA, 4 saves, 92 strikeouts)
Starting Pitcher – Bryant Haralson, HSU (10-3, 2.16 ERA, 114 strikeouts, 13 walks)
Starting Pitcher – Trevor Stephan, Arkansas (6-3, 2.87 ERA, 120 strikeouts)
Relief Pitcher – Blake Patterson, HSU (13 saves, 2.86 ERA, 44 strikeouts)
Relief Pitcher – Makenzy Larsen, SAU (5-0, 0.66 ERA, 7 saves)
Pitcher – Kyle Wilson, ATU (8-1, 2.53 ERA, 93 strikeouts)
Pitcher – Tyler Zuber, ASU (6-1, 2.06 ERA, 6 saves, 80 strikeouts)

Player of the Year – Trevor Rucker, SAU
Pitcher of the Year – Tyler Tognarine, Lyon
Freshman of the Year – Nick Kreutzer, ABC
The Natural – Trevor Rucker, SAU
Coach of the Year – Justin Pettigrew, SAU
Team of the Year – University of Arkansas

Honorable mention:


Ryan Mallison, ABC
Landen Colson, ABC
Cutter McDonald, ABC
Larry Sims, ABC
Matt Cronin, Arkansas
Blaine Knight, Arkansas
Dominic Fletcher, Arkansas
Quentin Bowling, ATU
Zach Klockowski, ATU
Ben Madison, CBC
Noah Vandiver, CRC
Madison Bates, Ecclesia
Kyle West, Lyon
Will Lindsey, Lyon
Matthew Lillard, Hendrix
Alan Hall, HSU
Kyle Alexander, OBU
Justin Crider, Ozarks
Kenneth Tabor, SAU
Dalton Algiene, SAU
Cortland McPherson, SAU
Hayden Harvey, UAFS
Clayton Welchel, UAFS
Nick Yoning, UAFS
Cory Malcom, UALR
Braden Chambers, UAM
Dawson Moser, UAM
Hunter Strong, UCA
Nick Scott, WBC

Cam Smith, WBC

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#11 slugging percentage (.631)
#11 on base percentage (.490)
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