Seven Crusaders Earn SCAC Baseball All-Conference Honors
CLEBURNE, Texas - In exclusive voting by head coaches of the Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference (SCAC), the baseball All-SCAC Awards and Teams were released this morning, Friday, May 7.
The University of Dallas baseball team's Joe Vondrachek (North St. Paul, Minn.) was named All-SCAC First Team at third base to highlight the UD selections. Ethan Mann at relief pitcher (Southlake, Texas) and Conrad Voss at starting pitcher (Corona, Calif.) were named All-SCAC Second Team. Nathan Patton (McKinney, Texas), Ross Lowe (Lewisville, Texas), Ryan Flores (San Diego, Calif.) and Michael Jaquez (Irving, Texas) were named All-SCAC Honorable Mentions.
Vondrachek wins his first All-SCAC award in his final season as an undergraduate. As UD's leadoff hitter, Vondrachek gave UD a jolt with his consistent presence at the plate and his aggressiveness on the basepaths. Vondrachek had 29 stolen in 2021, which its peak rank on May 2 was third in the NCAA, since then 29 stolen bases is now tied for third. Vondrachek also led UD in hits, RBIs, runs scored and walks with 38, 19, 34 and 14, respectively, and was 3rd and fourth on the team in batting average and on-base percentage with a 40 at-bat minimum at .322 and .401. He was also first on the team in sacrifice flies, 5, and total bases 50. Vondrachek was also one-of-seven Crusaders to hit a home run in 2021, one-of-seven players to hit a triple and one of four players to do both. With 10 strikeouts in 118 at-bats, Vondrachek had the second fewest strikeouts among Crusaders who played in at least 75% of games and tied for second best strikeout percentage of players who had at least 50 at-bats. On top of all his season numbers, on the all-time Crusader list Vondrachek now sits tied for 20th in runs scored with 81, and 6th in stolen bases with 58. Playing every contest at third base in 2021, Vondrachek was only one-of-two players to play all 30 games this season.
Mann wins his first All-SCAC award in his first year on the team. Mann was dependable out of the bullpen for Dallas with 3.48 earned run average, which led the team among pitchers who pitched a minimum of 10 innings. In 10 appearances and one start, Mann went 3-2 in 20 and ⅔ innings pitched allowing 19 hits, 12 runs, eight earned, with nine walks and 10 strikeouts. Mann was also only one of two Crusaders in 2021 with a minimum of 10 innings who did not allow a home run by an opposing team. The right-hander picked up Conference Pitcher of the Week, too, after tossing two shutout performances and earning a winning decision in each outing at Hardin-Simmons University and University of St. Thomas.
Voss wins his second All-SCAC award and his first for Second Team. Voss was All-First Team back in 2019. With 10 starts and 10 appearances, Voss was the only pitcher on the Crusaders to pitch purely as a starter in 2021. Voss was first on the team in both strikeouts and inning pitched with 33 and 48 ⅓, and was tied for first with one complete game. As the UD ace concludes his career, Voss sits tied for fourth in games pitched with 56, in fifth with 256 ⅓ innings pitched, sixth in strikeouts with 206 and tied for ninth in wins with 17.
Patton wins his fourth All-SCAC award in his final year at UD and his second as an Honorable Mention. Patton was First Team in 2018, Second Team in 2019 and Honorable Mention in 2017. Patton was a constant threat in the heart of the Crusader lineup ever since he arrived at Dallas back in 2017. For the year, Patton led the team with 10 doubles, and he was also a top three team leader in hits, runs, walks, on-base percentage and slugging percentage, min. 40 AB. Patton was also first on the team in extra base hits and second in total bases. Patton was also one of seven Crusaders to hit a home run in 2021, one of seven players to hit a triple and one of four players to do both. With nine strikeouts in 111 at-bats, Patton had the fewest strikeouts among Crusaders who played in at least 75% of games and also the best strikeout percentage of players who had at least 50 at-bats. On top of all of his season numbers, on the all-time Crusader list Patton is the all-time leader in doubles with 43, second in RBIs with 130, third in hits with 189, ninth in runs scored with 106 and tied for 18th in batting average at .351. Playing every game at second base in 2021, Patton is the only other player besides previously mentioned Vondrachek to play all 30 games this season.
Lowe wins his first All-SCAC award in his second year on UD. Lowe played the role of number one catcher in 2021, backed up by his counterpart Casey White (Amorita, Okla.). Lowe added explosion and power in the middle of the Crusader lineup, which manifested in his team-leading batting average, on-base percentage and slugging percentage, .345/.467/.548. Lowe's on-base percentage was also ranked the 10th best in the SCAC. Lowe was also a top three batter for Dallas in hits, runs and doubles with 29, 26 and seven, respectively. He was also second in extra-base hits with 11 and third in total bases 46. Lowe was also one-of-seven Crusaders to hit a home run in 2021, one of seven players to hit a triple and the only player to hit multiple home runs and triples this season. Lowe also had a heroic moment in UD's series finale against then #2 Trinity University. Down 5-4 in the ninth inning, Lowe hit an inside-the-park home run to deep center field to tie the game 5-5. While UD did not win the game, Lowe gave the Crusaders a chance to fight another inning against the second best team in the county. Playing behind the plate and sometimes designated hitter, play in 27 out of 30 games in 2021.
Flores wins his first All-SCAC award in his third year on the team. Flores played mostly as a starting pitcher in 2021, but also had one relief appearance this season. Flores was second in the pitching staff in strikeouts with 28 and third in innings pitched with 33 ⅔. On April 3, Flores pitched well in his start against then #17 Centenary College of Louisiana going 3 ⅔ innings allowing just one hit and one earned run with five walks and three strikeouts. However, Flores' best game this spring was the best in his career and came in the season finale against Austin College where Flores pitched a complete game shutout scattering four hits with three walks and four strikeouts. That outing gained Flores both SCAC and USCAA Pitcher of the Week.
Jaquez wins his first All-SCAC award in his third year on the team. Jaquez was second on the team in AVG, OBP and SLG among players with a minimum of 50 at-bats with .329/.429/.447. Jaquez was also tied for third on the team this year in extra base hits with seven, fourth in total bases with 34 and was one of three Crusaders to hit multiple triples in 2021. Jaquez also had the game-winning RBI against Hardin-Simmons University in the first game of a doubleheader on April 20, which the Crusaders won in seven innings 4-3. In 2021, Jaquez played in 24-of-30 games and split time between shortstop and designated hitter.