Hernandez/Dorado Named First Team All Region

A pair of Seward County sophomores were honored by Region VI on Monday as ace Jakob Hernandez and designated hitter Antonio Dorado were each named to the 2016 NJCAA All-Region VI First Team as voted on by the 19 Jayhawk Conference coaches.

Hernandez had one of the finest seasons in Seward County history in 2016, finishing off a regular season pitching Triple Crown, leading the league with 9 wins, a 2.07 ERA, and 149 strikeouts. After winning his playoff start against Johnson County, Hernandez closed out the year reaching double digits in wins with 10 to go along with 159 punchouts, and a 2.33 ERA. Hernandez’s 159 strikeouts on the year were 36 more than any other pitcher in the Jayhawk Conference and continue to lead the nation by 26 despite Seward seeing their season cut short due to a first round loss in the Region VI Tournament. Even more impressive, Hernandez’s strikeout total this season is rivaled only by Major League Baseball 1st Round Draft Pick Phil Bickford’s 2015 total in the past 15 years.

Dorado turned the corner for the Saints during his sophomore season in 2016, upping his batting average by 125 points from a season ago to finish the year as Seward’s leading hitter at .399. Dorado started 42 contests for the Saints this season, ripping a team high 18 doubles while going deep six times, and finishing second on the club with 46 RBI’s. He put together his best work in conference play though, hitting .430 in 24 Saints Jayhawk Conference tilts and driving in over a run a game with 30.

Roy Allen