No. 10/12 Redlands Baseball Eclipses The Competition With Eight All-Conference Nods Including SCIAC Player and Pitcher of the Year

No. 10/12 Redlands Baseball Eclipses The Competition With Eight All-Conference Nods Including SCIAC Player and Pitcher of the Year
Posted: May 04, 2018

It was announced earlier this week that the University of Redlands baseball team hauled in eight All-Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SCIAC) awards, as nominated by and voted upon the head coaches of the member institutions.  While adding to their number of honorees from a year ago, the Bulldogs also led the selections amongst all other SCIAC institutions. 

Senior third baseman Brendan Gardiner (Mission Viejo, CA) and senior pitcher Adam Stead (Rialto, CA) highlight the talented group with the 2018 SCIAC Player of the Year and the 2018 SCIAC Pitcher of the Year awards. This also marks back-to-back years that Redlands' has earned Pitcher of the Year as senior Felix Minjarez (Riverside, CA) received it in 2017. 

In addition, Minjarez, senior catcher Rainier Aguilar (San Bernardino,CA), and junior shortstop Aaron Singh (Anaheim, CA) join Gardiner and Stead on the First Team, while senior second baseman Will Hall (Seattle, WA) and senior center fielder Kyle Kabeary (Indio, CA) landed on the Second Team.  Finally, senior left fielder Nick Ono (Yorba Linda, CA) represented the Maroon and Gray on the SCIAC All-Sportsmanship Team.

Gardiner was voted the 2018 SCIAC Player of the Year and a First Team All-SCIAC selection after helping the team to a 19-5 record in conference play. Gardiner was terrific at the dish against SCIAC competition registering 35 hits in 95 at-bats for a .368 batting average, which included 10 doubles, three triples, three homers and 25 RBI. He also scored 28 runs and was 16-for-17 in stolen base attempts. In addition, he amassed 20 putouts and 33 assists as the starting third baseman.

Stead also garnered the top award for pitchers as the 2018 SCIAC Pitcher of the Year and a First Team All-SCIAC honoree. Stead posted a 6-0 conference record in eight appearances on the mound for the Bulldogs. Over 52 innings, Stead dealt 61 strikeouts and logged an impressive 0.87 ERA in conference play. He also fielded his position cleanly, tallying three putouts and six assists on nine total chances with zero errors for a 1.000 fielding percentage. He also impressed with 10.56 K's per nine innings.

After being named the SCIAC Newcomer of the Year as a first-year and then the 2017 SCIAC Pitcher of the Year, Minjarez returns to the First Team for the third time in his career. Against SCIAC foes, Minjarez has registered 56 innings pitched, 62 strikeouts, and posted a 2.89 ERA. Like Stead, he has also allowed fewer hits than innings pitched.

Aguilar and Singh each haul in their second-consecutive First-Team All-Conference award.  As the clean-up hitter, Aguilar has tallied an impressive 25 RBI. He has also racked up 32 hits including 13 doubles for a .337 batting average. Behind the dish, Aguilar has recorded 186 putouts, 13 assists, nailed down nine would-be base stealers and holds a .971 fielding percentage as a reliable backstop for the Bulldogs. With fancy footwork in the six-spot, Singh has totaled 69 assists, 33 putouts, for a solid fielding percentage of .971 in conference play. Offensively, Singh leads the squad in conference play with seven triples on 33 hits. He has also scored 30 runs and swiped 13 bases.  

Hall and Kabeary receive their inaugural All-Conference award with this year's Second-Team nod. During conference competition, Hall led the team and the SCIAC with 17 stolen bases en route to 30 overall swiped bags to rank eighth in the Nation in Division III. As the leadoff batter, Hall has tallied 95 at-bats, 32 hits, 31 runs scored, and 18 RBI. He also ranks high on the team with a solid .337 batting average and .449 on-base percentage. With great agility as the starting second baseman, he has racked up 61 assists and contributed to 15 successful double-plays for a .989 fielding percentage.

As the starting center fielder, Kabeary has tallied 58 putouts and no errors for a perfect, 1.000 fielding percentage against SCIAC foes. At the dish, he has roped 31 hits including four doubles and three triples that has led to a .344 batting average and .524 slugging percentage. He has also scored 20 runs and racked up 19 RBI.

Ono rounds out the lucrative crew of honorees with a spot on the SCIAC All-Sportsmanship Team. Ono saw the field in 24 conference games as a solid presence in the outfield. He plays with a quiet determination that helps the team stay positive and motivated day in and day out.

For a complete list of the All-Conference selections, please visit the SCIAC website.