Baseball: Stassi Named WAC Pitcher of the Year, Kort Earns First-Team Honor

PHOENIX - The University of Nevada baseball team was well represented on the 2010 All-Western Athletic Conference team announced on Tuesday night at the WAC Tournament Banquet, placing six members on the squad. Junior pitcher Brock Stassi earned the highest honor by a Wolf Pack player being named the WAC Pitcher of the Year and added first-team starting pitcher and second-team utility player honors. Senior first baseman Shaun Kort was also selected to the first-team.

In addition to Stassi, four Nevada players earned second-team honors in outfielders Nick Melino and Brian Barnett along with relief pitcher Tyler Graham and starting pitcher Jeremy Cole.

Stassi becomes the second Nevada pitcher to earn WAC Pitcher of the Year honors joining Ryan Rodriquez (2007). He tops the conference with a 3.28 ERA and is tied for first with seven wins tossing three complete games. His 3.58 ERA in WAC play led the league. Offensively he currently ranks eighth in the WAC with a .378 batting average, is sixth posting a slugging percentage of .701, tied for first with five doubles and is third with a .482 on base percentage.

Kort, earned first-team honors for the first time after being named to the second-team the last three years and was the 2007 WAC Freshman of the year. He topped the league in WAC play with a .440 batting average, 40 hits and 36 runs scored.

A first-team designated hitter as a freshman, Melino was a second-team outfielder in his sophomore season. In conference play he led the WAC with a .533 on base percentage and was second to Kort with a .419 batting average.

A junior transfer Barnett was selected to the second team after his first season in the Silver & Blue. In WAC play he finished second with 77 total bases, was third with 10 home runs, third with 31 RBI and sixth producing a .404 batting average.

Another junior college transfer, Cole went 2-2 in WAC play and opponents hit just .285 which was fifth best in the conference. Overall he is 4-2 with a 4.68 ERA and pitched three complete games to tie Stassi for the team lead.

A senior is in his second season at Nevada, Graham worked as the Pack's closer this season and was second in the conference with nine saves. His four saves in WAC play tied for first.

FIRST TEAM All-WAC:

Bobby Coyle, DH, Jr., Fresno State

Greg Gonzalez, SP, Jr., Fresno State

Jordan Ribera, 1B, Jr., Fresno State

Dusty Robinson, OF, So., Fresno State

Greg Garcia, SS, Jr., Hawai'i

Lenny Linsky, RP, So., Hawai'i

Jeffrey Van Doornum, DH, Jr., Hawai'i

Kolten Wong, 2B, So., Hawai'i

Devon Dageford, OF, Sr., Louisiana Tech

Mark Threlkeld, 3B, So., Louisiana Tech

Shaun Kort, 1B, Sr., Nevada

Brock Stassi, SP, Jr., Nevada

Leo Aguirre, 1B, Sr., New Mexico State

Blake McFarland, SP, Jr., San Jose State

Corey Valine, 3B/UTI, Sr., San Jose State

SECOND TEAM All-WAC:

Danny Muno, 2B, Jr., Fresno State

Josh Poytress, SP, So., Fresno State

Garrett Weber, SS, Jr., Fresno State

Josh Slaats, SP, Jr., Hawai'i

Clint Ewing, C, Jr., Louisiana Tech

Joey Ford, 2B, Jr., Louisiana Tech

Alex Williams, DH, So., Louisiana Tech

Brian Barnett, OF, Jr., Nevada

Jeremy Cole, SP, Jr., Nevada

Tyler Graham, RP, Sr., Nevada

Nick Melino, OF, So., Nevada

Brock Stassi, UTI, Jr., Nevada

Ryan Aguayo, SS, Jr., New Mexico State

Trevor Paine, DH, Jr., Sacramento State

Josh Powers, 1B, Sr., Sacramento State

Player of the Year: Jordan Ribera, Jr., Fresno State

Pitcher of the Year: Brock Stassi, Jr., Nevada

Freshman of the Year: Zack Jones, San Jose State

Coach of the Year: Mike Batesole, Fresno State