MT. PLEASANT, Mich. - The Metro State baseball team ranked among some of the best schools in NCAA Division II in the final statistics released earlier this month. The Roadrunners had one of the best offenses in the country, ranking in the top-50 in most offensive categories.
Metro State ranked 12th in sacrifice flies (32), 26th in doubles per game (2.27), 31st in home runs per game (1.08), 39th in home runs (56), 39th in slugging percentage (.503), 41st in doubles (118) and 45th in stolen bases (85). The team was also 55th in scoring (7.5 runs per game) and 62nd in batting average (.325).
Senior shortstop
Matt McConnell (Mesa, Ariz.), who was drafted by the Philadelphia Phillies earlier this month, ranked fourth in Division II in sacrifice flies (8), 10th in doubles per game (0.46), 12th in total doubles (24), 62nd in runs batted in per game (1.16), 62nd in total RBI (60), 63rd in slugging percentage (.705) and 85th in batting average (.399).
Junior centerfielder
Chris Redding (Northglenn, Colo.) finished his season ranked 40th nationally in doubles per game (0.39), 45th in total doubles (20), 77th in runs per game (1.14) and 95th in toughest to strike out (13.3 at bats per strikeout).
Senior catcher
Tyree Abshire (Paonia, Colo.) ranked 41st in home runs per game (0.29), 51st in total home runs (14), 62nd in runs batted in per game (1.16), 77th in slugging percentage (.693) and 81st in total RBI (57).
Senior third baseman
Dakota Nahm (Englewood, Colo.) finished his final season tied for 95th nationally with teammate
Jordan Stouffer (Fort Collins, Colo.) in total bases on balls (32).
Pitchers
Ross MacDonald (Las Vegas, Nev.) and
Kyle Orgill (Aurora, Colo.) were ranked 88th in saves with four apiece.
The Roadrunners, under first-year head coach Jerry Schemmel, finished a record of 28-24 overall. It was their 10th winning season in the past 12 years. Metro State also reached the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference Tournament for the fourth straight year.