Four Saints Make All Region Team

The awards keep coming in for the Jayhawk West Conference Champion Seward County Saints as Thursday a quartet of Seward players were named to the NJCAA All-Region VI Team.

Leading the four Saints on the NJCAA All-Region VI Teams was sophomore ace JB Olson who earned 1st Team honors. The award means that Olson wraps up his Seward career as a two time All-Region VI performer after garnering 2nd Team accolades as a freshman in 2014. Olson led all Region VI pitchers with 102 1/3 innings pitched during his sophomore campaign, 11 more than teammate Hayden Howard and 18 more than Cowley ace Parker Rigler. Olson’s 8/1 strikeout to walk ratio led the league and his 79 punchouts on the season ranked 6th.

Third Baseman Brandon Rix picked up 2nd Team All-Region VI Honors. Rix was the top third baseman in the Jayhawk West this season, earning 1st Team All-West accolades as he hit .343 with 9 extra base hits and 41 runs driven home. He was 3rd on the Saints in on base percentage this season at .395 and struck out just 13 times in 178 plate appearances. Rix wore out Jayhawk Conference pitching in 2015, hitting at a .408 clip during league action, picking up 42 hits and 29 RBI’s in 29 games played.

Sophomore shortstop Alex White was also a 2nd Team All-Region VI pick by the coaches. Forced into action at shortstop after the Saints fall season, White was the only Seward player to play in all 59 games in 2015, leading the team in at bats with 229, runs scored with 58, as well as walks with 31. White hit .336 in 59 games, collecting 11 doubles, 2 triples, and 4 home runs while driving in 33 from the leadoff spot. He ranked in the top 15 in the Jayhawk Conference in at bats, hits, runs, and walks for the Saints during his second year in Liberal.

Dillon Drury was named a 2nd Team All-Region VI choice at designated hitter. Drury hit .339 for Seward, clubbing 9 home runs while driving in 46 throughout the season. He played in 53 games for the Saints, covering right field, first base, and catching duties this season. Drury had the Saints longest hit streak in 2015, collecting at least one knock in 22 straight games from February 14th to March 29th. After an 0-2 contest to snap the streak, he started another streak, hitting in 10 more straight games for Seward, driving home 11 runs during the 10 game stretch.

The NJCAA All-Region VI Teams were dominated by the Jayhawk East nominees in 2015 with 10 of 13 First Team selections coming from the East side of the Sunflower State.

Roy Allen