Mitch Peschon (Spirit Lake, Iowa) was named the GPAC Player of the Year after finishing in the top ten in the GPAC in average (0.371), runs scored (47), RBI (45), stolen bases (21), and leading the conference in slugging percentage (0.730) and home runs (13). Peschon is fourth in the NAIA with 13 home runs and eighth in slugging percentage. In GPAC games only, Peschon hit 0.429 with a GPAC best 25 RBI and eight home runs.
Seniors Davis Bloemendaal (OF), Cody Groskreutz (SS), and Erik Widener (2B) also earned first team honors in addition to Peschon.
Bloemendaal (Orange City, Iowa) has hit 0.345 this season and repeats as a first team All-GPAC outfielder after earning the honor in 2013. Bloemendaal is the fifth player in Northwestern baseball history to earn multiple All-GPAC First Team honors (Dietrich Jache, Mihai Burlea, Grant Wall, Brad Payne). He has scored 33 runs and driven in 51. Bloemendaal also has ten doubles, five triples, and four home runs. In GPAC play he hit 0.365 with 16 runs scored and 20 RBI to go with four doubles, three triples, and three home runs.
Groskreutz (Apple Valley, Minn.) has put together one of the most complete seasons in Northwestern history. He has hit 0.374 so far in 2014 with 56 runs scored and 53 RBI. He has 17 doubles, eight triples, and three home runs. Groskreutz also stole 13 bases and fielded 0.936 from the shortstop position as he earned the GPAC Gold Glove. Groskreutz becomes the first player to score 50+ runs and have 50+ RBI in Northwestern baseball history.
Widener (Spanaway, Wash.) has hit 0.318 this season with 35 runs scored and 29 RBI. Widener had four doubles, two triples, and two home runs. In GPAC play, Widener hit 0.310 with 15 runs scored and 12 RBI.
Seniors Ryan Brasser and Tyler Stuerman, juniors Skyler Wheeler and Tony Schultz, and sophomores Isaac Horigan and Josh Turner all earned All-GPAC Second Team honors for their play in 2014.
Brasser (Paullina, Iowa) earns second team accolades for the second straight season after earning honorable mention honors as a freshman and sophomore. Brasser has gone 6-1 with a 1.95 ERA this season in 64.2 innings. In GPAC games, Brasser went 3-1 with a 2.25 ERA.
Stuerman (Hinton, Iowa) earns second team honors after earning first team honors last season. Stuerman went 4-2 in 2014 with a 3.14 ERA in 51.2 innings. He was 2-1 in GPAC games with a 2.51 ERA.
Wheeler (Chehalis, Wash.) was named second team first baseman after a record breaking season for the Red Raiders. Wheeler has driven in a single season record 66 RBI in 2014 and has tied the single season double record with 19. He has scored 27 runs and hit 0.367 this season. In GPAC games, Wheeler hit 0.319 with six doubles, two home runs, and 25 RBI (tied with Peschon for the GPAC lead).
Schultz (West Salem, Wisc.) returns to the second team after earning the same honor as a freshman. Schultz currently has a 0.365 average with 29 RBI and a 0.480 on base %, trailing only Peschon on the team. Schultz hit 0.299 in GPAC games.
Horigan (Ventura, Calif.) moves up from 2013 honorable mention, to the second team after posting a 7-1 record in 2014. Horigan has a 3.14 ERA in 66 innings and went 5-0 in GPAC games with a 2.21 ERA. Horigan is currently second on the team with 62 strikeouts.
Turner (Odgen, Iowa) also moves up to second team after earning honorable mention honors last season. Turner went 6-1 with seven saves in 2014 witha 2.35 ERA. Turner led NWC with 77 strikeouts and also threw a perfect game earlier in the season. In GPAC play, Turner went 1-0 with a GPAC best six saves.
Seniors Micah Linn and Matt Piocos are joined by freshman Alec Forbes on the honorable mention squad.
Linn (Downey, Calif.) is currently hitting 0.320 for Northwestern with 55 runs scored and 22 RBI primarily as the team’s leadoff hitter. Linn has stolen 16 bases and has a 0.427 on base percentage. In GPAC games, Linn hit 0.286 and scored 25 runs. Linn also played tremendous defense for Northwestern in centerfield and was named the GPAC Gold Glove centerfielder. Linn was a 2013 All-GPAC honorable mention.
Piocos (Downey, Calif.) also had a season for the record books for the Red Raiders. Piocos has gone 10-2 in 70 innings with a 3.34 ERA. Ten wins in a single season is second all-time in NWC baseball history. Piocos went 5-0 in GPAC games with a 4.13 ERA in 28.1 innings pitched. Piocos was a 2013 All-GPAC honorable mention.
Forbes (Glenwood, Iowa) came on late for the Raiders serving as the team’s DH and set-up man. Forbes hit 0.382 overall and hit 0.536 in GPAC play. He scored 19 runs and drove in 13 overall in 2014. On the mound, Forbes went 1-4 overall with a 5.73 ERA in 22 innings and in GPAC play he was 0-2 with a 3.86 ERA.
Northwestern finished the regular season with a 38-9 record and went 3-2 in the GPAC tournament bringing their overall record to 41-11. The 41 wins in the most in school history. Northwestern will wait until Friday to find out if they will qualify for an at-large berth into the NAIA National Tournament Opening Round.
GPAC Press Release
