The four qualifiers to the conference tournament accounted for all of the first-team selections to the 2008 All-MIAA Baseball Team as voted upon by the conference's coaches.
The two finalists in the tournament, which concluded Sunday (May 11) at CommunityAmerica Ballpark in Kansas City, Kan., combined for 10 of the 15 players on the first-team as tourney champion Central Missouri (41-15, 26-8 MIAA) had four and regular season champ Emporia State (48-8, 32-4 MIAA) placed six on the list.
Four of the six Hornets selected were unanimous choices at their positions, while UCM had one. One of ESU's also was the consensus choice as the conference's Player of the Year in senior C Keith Hernandez, while the Mules' only unanimous pick, junior RHP Mark Carey, was selected as Pitcher of the Year.
Hernandez leads the MIAA hit batting (.475), slugging percentage (.899), on-base percentage (.570), walks (0.72 per game -- 33 total) and runs batted in (1.61 per game -- 74 total) entering the NCAA Division II Central Regional at his home field starting Thursday (May 15). He also boasts 17 home runs (.37 per game -- second in the MIAA).
Carey is 9-1 with a conference-best 2.60 earned run average. He also sports a league-low opponents batting average of .200 as he and his UCM teammates will join ESU at the regional. He jumped out to a 6-0 start this season.
Joining Hernandez as consensus selections to the first team include junior LHP Tyler Applehans, junior 2B Anthony Dreiling, and senior OF Eric Shortell.
Applehans leads the MIAA in victories (10), and is third in earned run average (3.47). He won his first nine decisions for the Hornets this season.
Dreiling is batting .361 with six home runs and 47 RBI, and has just eight errors in 220 chances this season for a .964 fielding percentage.
Shortell smashed the MIAA's single-season home run record, raising his total to 22 during the conference tournament (a league-best .39 per game). He also leads the circuit in runs scored per game (1.57 -- 88 total) and is second in stolen bases per game (.52 -- 29 total) and RBI (1.52 per game -- 85 total) while batting .372. Shortell also became the third MIAA player with a four-homer game in the 2008 season.
The other first-teamers from ESU included senior OF Brian Majors and junior DH Connor Crumbliss. Majors set the MIAA's single-season hits record at the conference tournament (105 -- a league-high 1.88 per game) and is second to Hernandez in batting (.449). He had a hit in 29 straight games at one point in 2008.
Crumbliss bounced back from missing 21 games due to an injury early in the season to bat .428 with 11 home runs and 39 RBI. He also is 8-for-8 stealing bases and has a .518 on-base percentage.
Head coach Bob Fornelli was a unanimous selection by his peers for Coach of the Year honors. He guided the Hornets to an MIAA-record 35 consecutive wins, including the first 24 in conference play.
Junior RHP Chris Matlock, senior SS Brian McBryde and senior OF Blaine Rutledge joined Carey as first-team choices. Matlock was selected as the relief pitcher, and leads the MIAA in saves (9) and appearances (29). He's 4-2 with a 2.88 earned run average and an opponents batting average of .201 in 50 innings of work.
McBryde set the MIAA's career hits record -- he has 299 so far and needs one more safety to become the 12th player in NCAA Division II history with 300. For the season, he's batting .372 with five homers and 33 RBI while swiping bases 15 times in 21 tries.
Rutledge is fourth in the MIAA with a .404 batting average and has seven home runs with 47 RBI, and had a team-best 13-game hitting streak during the season.
Missouri Western (25-24, 22-14 MIAA) had three first-team selections while Fort Hays State (28-29, 21-15 MIAA) picked up two.
All of the Griffons' choices are seniors. RHP Everett Saul was 8-4 with a 4.86 ERA and a league-high five complete games, while 3B Adam Carolan led Western in hitting (.375) and led the MIAA in doubles per game (.43 -- 21 total). Ben Toedebusch was selected as a utility player -- he split time between first base, designated hitter and outfield and was behind only Carolan on the Griffons in batting at .354 with three homers and 35 RBI.
The FHSU Tigers had one unanimous selection in junior 1B Dusty Washburn, and he was joined by junior UT Brett Becker. Washburn ended the season with a .383 batting averaged while hitting 19 home runs (.33 per game -- third in the MIAA) and driving in 59 RBI. He is third in the MIAA in slugging percentage at .727.
Becker found himself playing shortstop, second base and third base as well as designated hitter this season. He batted .380 with eight home runs and 35 RBI.
A third Fort Hays State player, C Ryan Majercik, was chosen as Freshman of the Year. He batted .379 with eight homers and 42 RBI while starting 41 games behind the plate for the Tigers.

First Team
*Tyler Applehans, ESU P
*Mark Carey, UCM P
Everett Saul, MWSU P
Chris Matlock, UCM RP
*Keith Hernandez, ESU C
*Dusty Washburn, FHSU 1B
*Anthony Dreiling, ESU 2B
Brian McBryde, UCM SS
Adam Carolan, MWSU 3B
*Eric Shortell, ESU OF
Brian Majors, ESU OF
Blaine Rutledge, UCM OF
Connor Crumbliss, ESU DH
Brett Becker, FHSU UT
Ben Toedebusch, MWSU UT

*=Unanimous selection
Two utility players selected due to a tie in voting

Second Team
Bret Harvel, NWMSU
Danny Potje, UCM P
Jared Potts, UCM P
Evan Nickell, NWMSU RP
Luis Perez, UCM C
Derek Ezell, MSSU 1B
Nick Pfeiffer, NWMSU 2B
Ryan Bledsoe, NWMSU SS
Iain Dykins, UCM 3B
Greg Bieker, FHSU OF
Taylor House, PSU OF
Troy Landi, MWSU OF
Brad Mountjoy, SBU OF
Mike Hallam, UCM DH
Justin Barnhart, SBU UT

Four outfielders selected due to ties in voting

Honorable Mention
Matt Augustine, FHSU P
Eric Gilliland, FHSU P
Brock Nehls, ESU P
Chris Rusler, MWSU P
Brian Stroth, WU P
Richard Timbrook, ESU P
Aaron Burris, ESU RP
Curtis Hamilton, WU RP
Ryan Majercik, FHSU C
Chris Martinez, SBU 1B
Britt Westman, NWMSU 1B
Luke Crader, TSU 2B
Brett Biggs, FHSU SS
Brett Hothan, PSU SS
Ben Malick, NWMSU 3B
Tyler Robbins, FHSU 3B
Kevin Wempe, ESU 3B
Juan Hernandez, MSSU OF
Will Feil, UCM OF
Clay Weatherford, UCM
Brian Dean, PSU UT
Wes Joy, WU UT

Player of the Year: Keith Hernandez, C, ESU (unanimous choice)
Pitcher of the Year: Mark Carey, RHP, UCM
Freshman of the Year: Ryan Majercik, C, FHSU
Coach of the Year: Bob Fornelli, ESU (unanimous choice)