The Chaps were the only team with three All-Americans listed on the combined First and Second Team lists. It was the first time since 1984 (
Bob Fannin, Keith Miller and Randy Velarde) that three LCU players received First Team and/or Second Team All-American status (non-Honorable Mentions), and the first time since 1996 (Chris Shuffield and Marcus McCain) that LCU was honored with two First Team All-Americans. The All-American honors were the first for Ross Blondin, R.L. Eisenbach and Will Stramp.
Stramp batted a remarkable .498 on the season and was held without a hit in only four games on the season. He produced 39 multi-hit games and had a 23-game hit streak during the season. Stramp led the NAIA in batting, hits (111), total bases (225), hits per game (1.9), runs scored per game (1.6) and total bases per game (3.9). His 111 hits, 27 home runs (third in NAIA), 225 total bases and 1.009 slugging percentage led the Chaps (second in NAIA), while his six triples and 99 runs-batted-in co-led the team. At the Avista NAIA World Series, Stramp batted .429 with 12 hits (led tournament), three home runs and 10 runs-batted-in (led tournament). He produced seven home runs in ten postseason games, which included 21 RBI. Stramp leaves LCU with a .462 career batting average, which ranks second all-time in program history.
Blondin led the team in the postseason with a .457 batting average and 21 hits in ten postseason games. He batted .438 for the season and produced 103 hits (fourth in the NAIA) and 25 home runs (tied for fourth in the NAIA), which each ranked second on the squad. His 27 doubles led the team and tied for third in the NAIA, and he also ranked third in the NAIA with 217 total bases. Blondin also ranked third in the NAIA in RBI per game (1.7) and total bases per game (3.6), fifth in slugging (.923), sixth in hits per game (1.7) and ranked eighth in homers per game (0.4) and doubles per game (0.5).
Eisenbach posted a 12-1 record on the mound for the Chaps, leading the team in wins (fifth most in the NAIA). He averaged 11.71 strikeouts per nine innings (11
th in the NAIA) and led the team with 118 strikeouts (12 shy of the program's single season record). Eisenbach led the team in starts on the mound (16), innings pitched (90.2) and complete games (5). He compiled a 4.67 ERA during the season.
Five players on the World Series All-Tournament Team matches the amount they received in 1983. Stramp's MVP honor at the World Series was the first since David Bulls claimed the honor in 1983. Cunningham, who earned a win over Oklahoma City on the mound and a save in the final championship game, combined for nine innings without surrendering an earned run inLewiston, Idaho. He gave up seven hits in nine innings pitched and struck out 11 batters. Cunningham did not allow an extra base hit in the nine innings of work.
Dominguez, who hit a walk-off double in 2006, was the first player in LCU history to actively participate in two NAIA World Series. He led the Chaps and the tournament with four home runs. Dominguez batted .385 and was second on the team in hits (10), RBI (8) and total bases (22) while at the World Series.
Garcia was solid at the Avista NAIA World Series, pitching 15 innings without allowing an earned run. He pitched a one-hitter through six innings against Lee and helped combine for the shutout, before pitching a complete game against Point Loma Nazarene (5-1) to help force an additional championship game. Garcia racked up 12 strikeouts in the 15 innings.
Johnson produced three home runs at the World Series this season and batted .320. He also provided a pair of doubles to lead the team in extra base hits (5) at the World Series. Johnson, who served as the starting catcher for all six games, produced six runs-batted-in.
The Hank Burbridge Champions of Character honor was a first for the Chaps. The award was awarded in conjunction with the Avista NAIA World Series. LCU received the honor for exalting the five core character values of Respect, Responsibility, Integrity, Servant Leadership and Sportsmanship.
Vickers' Daktronics-NAIA Scholar Athlete honor marked the 28
th time an LCU baseball student-athlete has been recognized for his effort in the classroom. The junior majoring in Business Management had produced over a 3.5 GPA (on a 4.0 scale). He had marked the first baseball Scholar Athlete since Ryan Owen received the honor in 2007.
Tidbits on the 2009 LCU Baseball Team
- 52-8 Record
- 25-4 Sooner Athletic Conference Record
- Ranked in the top-10 in 21 team-statistical categories
- Led the NAIA in Doubles (167) and triples (31)
- Ranked second in the NAIA in hits per game (12.5), home runs per game (2.2), runs per game (10.8), RBI per game (9.7) and slugging (.700)
- Pitchers ranked eighth nationally in strikeouts per game (8.3) and ranked ninth in ERA (3.17)
- LCU became the first NAIA program to claim a softball and baseball national title within a year apart.
- The season was their 13
th 50-plus win season and the fourth over a five-year span.
- The Chaps offense set a program record with 34 games producing ten or more runs.
2009 LCU Baseball Postseason Honors
First Team NAIA All-Americans
Ross Blondin (Sonoma, California)
Will Stramp (Keller, Texas)
Second Team NAIA All-Americans
R.L. Eisenbach (Newark, Ohio)
NAIA World Series All-Tournament Team
Jacob Cunningham (Lubbock, Texas)
Armando Dominguez (Presidio, Texas)
Rene Garcia (Tucson, Arizona)
Tyler Johnson (Fort Worth, Texas)
Will Stramp (Keller, Texas)
NAIA World Series Most Valuable Player
Will Stramp (Keller, Texas)
Hank Burbridge Champions of Character Team Award
Lubbock Christian University
Daktronics-Scholar Athlete
Tanner Vickers (Lubbock, Texas)
