APPLETON, Wis. -- Lawrence University head coach Korey Krueger and six of his players were honored on the All-Midwest Conference baseball team, as voted upon by league coaches.
Krueger was named the co-Coach of the Year in the North Division. Pitcher Aaron Sorenson, shortstop Andrew Wong, catcher Doug Coe, and first baseman Kevin Fitzsimmons were all named to the first team. Center fielder Brad Hauser and pitcher Josh Richie earned second-team honors.
Krueger's Vikings finished third in the North Division of the Midwest Conference, but this was a very competitive squad. Lawrence went 6-2 against the teams that finished below it in the conference standings, and six of the eight games played against the top two teams, Ripon College and St. Norbert College, were tight contests that could have gone either way. Lawrence finished with an overall record of 15-19 for the most victories since the team went 15-9 in 1989.
Sorenson, a sophomore right-hander from Sheboygan, was a first-team selection for the second consecutive season. The former Sheboygan South High School star was 2-3 in league play, but he had a 2.92 earned run average in 37 innings. He struck out 39 and walked only nine, and teams hit a meager .185 against him. On the season, Sorenson was 5-4 with a 3.08 ERA. He struck out a school-record 73 and broke the school record with three shutouts. He also threw a one-hitter in a 4-0 shutout of Oberlin College.
Wong, a sophomore from Wauwatosa, turned in a great offensive season. Wong, who was a standout at Wauwatosa East, hit .352 in conference play with five doubles, a triple, two homers, and seven runs batted in in 16 league games. He batted a team-high .397 on the season and tied for the team lead with 22 RBIs. He broke Lawrence's season records for hits (46) and doubles (13).
Coe, a freshman from Appleton, was a stalwart behind the plate. The former Appleton North star batted .367 in conference play with three doubles, a homer, and 12 RBIs. A top-notch defensive catcher, Coe was second on the team in hitting at .378 and drove in 21 runs.
Fitzsimmons, a sophomore from La Crosse, led the team in hitting during conference play. He batted .388 with 11 runs batted in. Fitzsimmons, who starred at La Crosse Central, finished the season with a .333 average and tied for the team lead with 22 RBIs.
Hauser, another freshman from Appleton, became a fixture in center field. The fleet outfielder batted .346 in conference play and drove in 12 runs in 15 league games. The former Appleton East standout finished the season with a .292 batting average and compiled six doubles, a triple, three homers, and 20 RBIs.
Richie, a big right-hander from Ellsworth, got better and better as the season went along. He finished conference play with a 1-1 record and a 2.12 ERA. He struck out 29 and walked 15 in 29.2 innings, and conference opponents hit only .187 against him. Richie finished the season with a 2-2 record and 3.60 ERA in 40 innings, striking out 39 and walking 20. His best effort of the season was a five-hit shutout in a 2-0 win over Beloit College.
The Vikings return all but one starter, designated hitter Chris Stievo, for next season.