Greene, Cheff earn top Region I honors

05-10-08

After dominating Region I play during the season, the Lewis-Clark State College baseball team and coach Ed Cheff dominated the Region I honors, which were announced on Saturday. 

LCSC senior third baseman Kyle Greene of Lewiston was named the Region I Player of the Year, while Cheff was named the Region Coach of the Year. 

Also, LCSC had nine of the 17 players named to the all-Region I team, which is composed of players from College of Idaho, British Columbia, Concordia, Oregon Tech, Corban, and LCSC. 

Greene and Cheff are now eligible for NAIA national Player and Coach of the Year honors, respectively. 

Greene had an outstanding season and led the region with a .455 batting average, 16 home runs and 74 RBI. He was LCSC's nominee for the Region Player of the Week every week but once during the season, and also was named the NAIA Player of the Week during the season after he hit two grand slams and drove in nine runs in one game. 

Cheff led the Warriors to a 50-5 record and the Region I championship on Saturday. LCSC is the two-time defending national champion and spent the first half of the season ranked No. 1 in the country before falling to No. 2 during the second half behind Lubbock Christian. 

Greene helped LCSC dominate the infield selections with teammates Ikaika Lester (first base), Brent Wyatt (shortstop) and Brian Ward (catcher) joining him on the all-region team. 

Lester, a senior, missed part of the season after being hit in the face with a pitch. He still hit .380 for the season and had 13 doubles and seven home runs. Wyatt, a senior who made the move from center field to shortstop this season, hit .372 with nine doubles, two triples and three home runs, while Ward, a junior, also hit .372 but with 13 doubles and six home runs.

One of the strengths of this season's Warrior team is their impressive pitching staff.  Warrior pitchers claimed four of the five spots on the All-Region team reserved for men on the mound.  Junior right-hander Matt Fitts is 10-0 on the season and led the region in strikeouts. Michael Guerrero, a junior left-hander, led the region with 1.93 ERA thanks in large part to a personal shutout streak of 31 innings that he enjoyed during the season. 

 Those three Warrior pitchers were joined by starter Ryan Woods and relief pitcher Justin Mace. Woods, who started the year as a closer but because of injuries, was converted into a starter, went 7-1 on the season with a 1.91 ERA and one save. Mace, a senior, went 6-0 with a 1.90 ERA and four saves.

Although the Warriors dominated most of the All-Region team, each of the six Region I teams were recognized in this year's regular season awards.  Oregon Tech's Ryson Mauricio (second base) and Sean Teaters (DH), British Columbia's Mike Styrna (outfield), Corban College's Daniel Flores (infield), College of Idaho's Jake Miller (outfield), and Concordia's Ben Rue (pitcher), Ryan Sussenguth (catcher), and Roberto Reyes (outfield) round out the non L-C State players to earn recognition on this year's All-Region squad.

LCSC also had Ward and Nic Benton named to the all Region I Golden Glove Team for their defensive performances throughout the season. 

2008 Region 1 All-Stars

Pos.        Name                                 Institution                          Cl.                          Hometown
1B        Ikaika Lester                L-C State                     Sr.                    Kaunakaki, HI
2B        Ryson Mauricio            Oregon Tech                So.                   Mililani, HI
3B        Kyle Greene                 L-C State                     Sr.                    Lewiston, ID
SS        Brent Wyatt                  L-C State                     Sr.                    Kittitas, WA
IF         Daniel Floers                Corban College            Sr.                    San Jose, CA
OF       Paul Martin                   L-C State                     Jr.                    Kennewick, WA
OF       Roberto Reyes             Concordia                    Sr.                    Monterrey, Mexico
OF       Mike Styrna                 British Columbia           Sr.                    White Rock, BC
OF       Jake Miller                   College of Idaho           Jr.                    Idaho Falls, ID
C         Brian Ward                  L-C State                     Jr.                    Huntington Beach, CA
C         Ryan Sussenguth           Concordia                    Sr.                    Gresham, OR
P          Matt Fitts                     L-C State                     Jr.                    Santa Rosa, CA
P          Michael Guerrero         L-C State                      Jr.                    Fresno, CA
P          Ryan Woods                L-C State                     Jr.                    Mill Creek, WA
P          Ben Rue                       Concordia                    Jr.                    Silverton, OR
RP       Justin Mace                  L-C State                     Sr.                    Boise, ID
DH       Sean Teaters                Oregon Tech                Sr.                    Central Point, OR 

Coach of the Year: Ed Cheff, L-C State
Region Player of the Year:  Kyle Greene, L-C State 

Region 1 Gold Glove Team
P          Casey Burton               Oregon Tech
C         Brian Ward                   L-C State
1B        Richie Snider                College of Idaho
2B        Brad Carlsen                College of Idaho
3B        Bryan Champ               College of Idaho
SS        Sammie Star                 British Columbia
LF        Nic Benton                    L-C State
CF       Jamie McGraw               Corban College
RF       Sean Strachan                Concordia