Four Ohio Wesleyan University baseball players were named to the All-North Coast Athletic Conference teams, it was announced by the NCAC.
Senior outfielder Edrick Padilla was a first-team All-NCAC pick, sophomore first baseman Zane Vitense was a second-team selection, and fifth-year shortstop D.J. Neff and junior outfielder Sammy Stoner were third-team choices.
Padilla ranks fifth in the NCAC in batting average (.396). He ranks third in doubles (16) and fourth in slugging percentage (.667), is tied for fifth in home runs (7), ranks sixth in total bases (96), is tied for 10th in RBI (42) and tied for 12th in hits (57), and ranks 17th in on-base percentage (.448).
Vitense was selected to the All-NCAC teams as a utility player, a position player who also pitches. Vitense batted .303 and drove in 17 runs this season while fielding .984 and taking part in a league-leading 38 double plays, 36 as a first baseman and 2 as a pitcher. On the mound, Vitense made 10 appearances, all in relief, compiling a 1-0 record with 1 save and a 4.50 earned run average. Vitense was a second-team All-NCAC pick as a designated hitter and was the league’s Newcomer of the Year in 2023.
Neff batted .324 with 5 home runs and 33 RBI this season. He is tied for 13th in the conference in home runs and ranks 17th in RBI. Neff also is tied for fifth in the NCAC in doubles (14), ranks 15th in slugging percentage (.537), and is tied for 18th in total bases (73) and stolen bases (7). Neff was a third-team All-NCAC choice in 2023.
Stoner batted .338 with 10 RBI this season. He ranks fourth in the NCAC in stolen bases (19) and seventh in on-base percentage (.480), is tied for seventh in runs scored (43), is tied for eighth in times hit by pitch (14), and is tied for 12th in walks (24). Stoner was a second-team All-NCAC selection in 2023.
Ohio Wesleyan finished with a 20-19 overall record, the Battling Bishops’ first winning season since 2016. The Bishops finished in sixth place in the NCAC standings with a 6-10 mark.
SOFTBALL
Three Ohio Wesleyan University softball players were named to the All-North Coast Athletic Conference teams, it was announced by the NCAC.
Junior designated player McKenna Tuttle and freshman outfielder Chameron Vanden Eynden were first-team All-NCAC selections, while senior catcher Sara Bias was a second-team all-conference pick.
Tuttle batted .344 with 8 RBI on the season. In conference play, Tuttle batted .353 and compiled an on-base percentage of .405.
Vanden Eynden leads the NCAC (players with at least 2 at bats per team game) in batting average (.496), hits (63), is tied for third in on-base percentage (.500), and is tied for fourth in stolen bases (18). In conference competition, Vanden Eynden batted .453 to rank fifth in the conference (players with at least 2 at bats per team game), shared the league lead in stolen bases (9), and ranked 10th in on-base percentage (.463).
Bias batted .270 with 10 RBI and compiled an on-base percentage of .409 this season. In conference action, Bias batted .273.
Ohio Wesleyan finished with an 18-15-1 overall record this season. The Battling Bishops finished in sixth place in the NCAC with a 6-8 record.
OWU Sports Information contributed to this report.
