Walton leads Randolph-Macon to ODAC title

Old Dominion Athletic Conference (ODAC): Bridgewater (Va.) took the regular season title but Jordan Walton and the rest of the Randolph-Macon team won out at the ODAC tournament to take the automatic bid to the NCAA playoffs.

ODAC regular season champion: Bridgewater
ODAC tournament champion: Randolph-Macon
ODAC tournament participant: Randolph-Macon
ODAC Player of the Year: Kyle Wooden, Guilford
ODAC Pitcher of the Year: Gregg Laswell, Washington and Lee
ODAC Freshman of the Year: James Womack, Lynchburg
ODAC Scholar Athlete of the Year: Pike Brynildsen, Virginia Wesleyan
ODAC Coach of the Year: Curt Kendall, Bridgewater

Jonathan Mason was an All-ODAC 2011 selection. Bridgewater State athletics photo

Bridgewater (Va.) (26-18; 15-3): The Eagles dominated the ODAC in 2011 but posted a losing record, 11-15, in their non-conference schedule, the toughest in the ODAC. Bridgewater closed out the regular season with a sweep of Guilford to secure regular season title, their second in the last two years, and looked like they would be returning to the NCAA playoffs in 2011. The Eagles made the ODAC championship game but Randolph-Macon scored three runs in the late innings to defeat Bridgewater for the second time in two days, taking the ODAC tournament title.

Bridgewater head coach Curt Kendall was named the ODAC Coach of the Year for the fifth time. Kendall led the Eagles to 26 wins in 2011 with a 13-3 conference mark, good for the top seed in the ODAC tournament.

Sophomore outfielder Jonathan Mason was the lone Bridgewater player named to the All-ODAC first team. Mason hit for a .300 average and was second in the ODAC in RBIs with 42 and home runs with five. Three Eagles were named to the second-team, including weekend starting pitchers Joseph Lucas and Kevin Chandler. Lucas finished the regular season with a 4-3 record and a 2.97 ERA. Chandler posted a 5-1 mark and a 3.34 ERA. Also named to the second team was third baseman Jay Thompson. Thompson led the Eagles with a .350 batting average and made just five errors at third base during the season. Named honorable mention was senior outfielder Kevin Kirk. Kirk finished the season with a .319 batting average and scored a team-high 36 runs.

James Womack was named ODAC Rookie of the Year. Lynchbug athletics photo

Lynchburg (25-15; 14-4): Lynchburg kept pace with Bridgewater (Va.) all season, ending a game behind the Eagles in for the regular season title. The key series in the ODAC was that with Randolph-Macon. The Yellow Jackets swept Lynchburg and was themselves swept by Bridgewater. In the conference tournament, Lynchburg was 2-2 with losses to the Bridgewater and the eventual conference champion, Randolph-Macon.

James Womack nabbed ODAC Rookie of the Year honors with a 6-4 record. Watkins had a 2.80 ERA while yielding 33 hits and only 21 runs in 45.0 innings pitched. He has struck out 33 batters while holding opponents to a .201 batting average.

Senior pitcher Matt Morgan and junior shortstop Richard Palase both earned All-ODAC First Team honors. Morgan had a 5-1 record in 11 starts including one complete game. He has 43 strikeouts this season and has held opposing hitters to a .231 batting average. Palase, a second team All-ODAC selection last year, has started 38 games this season at shortstop for Lynchburg. For the Hornets he knocked five doubles, three triples and a home run along with 26 walks. The slick fielder batted .300 with an on-base percentage of .422.

Senior Mike Walters was named to the All-ODAC second team. Walters, the primary leadoff hitter for the Hornets had a .323. batting average while registering a team-high 50 hits, 10 doubles and 27 RBI. Walters played errorless ball this season in centerfield. Senior Jordan Watkins was an All-ODAC Honorable Mention selection. Watkins hit .317 for the season 33 hits and 10 RBI.  As a pitcher he had a record of 6-0 with a 2.32 ERA in 42.2 innings pitched.

The ODAC Pitcher of the Year was Gregg Laswell. Washington and Lee athletics photo

Washington and Lee (15-16; 12-6):  The Generals improved their 2011 record by two games from last years 14-19 record. They flirted with the .500 mark all season never strayed too far above or below. The signature win of the season came on March 20th. Junior Jody Davis threw a complete game shutout as the Generals defeated No. 17 Tufts, 5-0 at Cap'n Dick Smith Field. Washington and Lee had more success in the ODAC regular season, with a 12-6 record than against other competition (3-8). Third seeded Washington and Lee started the ODAC tournament with a disappointing 1-0 in 14 innings loss to Randolph-Macon, setting a record for the longest game in the ODAC tournament. A 7-4 loss to Bridgewater gave the Generals an early end to their season.

Laswell was joined on the All-ODAC first team by sophomore designated hitter Will Salley. Salley, who split time at catcher and designated hitter, wrapped up the regular season as the Generals' top hitter with a .407 batting average while banging out a team-best 44 base hits and 11 doubles. Outfielder C.J. Thompson (.299, 13 R, 13 RBI) and shortstop Jonathan Stutts (.318, 35 R, 27 RBI, 6 SB) were both named to the All-ODAC second team. Sophomore righthander Ian Shaw (3-3, 2.63 ERA, 26 SO) was named as an honorable selection.

Jordan Walton had a season to remember in 2011 with several ODAC records and a new NCAA mark for doubles in a season. Randolph-Macon athletics photo

Randolph-Macon (24-20; 11-7): The Yellow Jackets earned the fourth seed in the ODAC tournament and made the most of their chances in the tournament. For the second time in four years, Randolph-Macon captured the ODAC Championship. With the 6-2 win over Bridgewater, the Yellow Jackets made another trip to the NCAA playoffs. With identical 8-5 losses to Rowan and Johns Hopkins, Randolph-Macon made an early exit from the Mid-Atlantic regional.

Jordan Walton garnered several honors in his record setting season, including being named a D3baseball.com All-American. Walton was named the ODAC Tournament's Most Outstanding Player,  a Second Team All-ODAC selection and a South First Team All-Region player.  The Randolph-Macon first baseman shattered the NCAA single season doubles record with 31, 4 more than the previous record. Walton also led the nation with 84 hits that broke the ODAC single season record. The junior drove in a conference best 57 runs and ranked second in the ODAC and 13th in the country with a .452 batting average. Walton finished the season with 131 total bases which led the ODAC and placed him fourth in the nation.

Guilford senior Kyle Woodedn earned ODAC Player of the Year honors and All-America recognition from D3baseball.com. Guilford athletics photo

Guilford (16-24; 9-9): An up-and-down year for Guilford found the Quakers in the middle of the ODAC standings. Guilford shone the brightest when playing the top teams in the country, finishing the year with a 3-4 record against NCAA playoff teams. The Quakers split with Piedmont, Case Western and Randolph-Macon and lost their only game against Tufts. A 2-0 record against both Hampden-Sydney and Virginia Wesleyan gave Guilford the fifth seed in the ODAC tournament. Tournament losses to Lynchburg and Hampden-Sydney ended the Quaker's season.

Guilford senior Kyle Wooden earned ODAC Player of the Year honors and All-America recognition from D3baseball.com. Wooden, who earned the same recognition in 2009, is Guilford's fifth baseball All-American. Wooden was third in NCAA Division III with a conference-high .467 batting average. His .525 on-base percentage leads the league and his 63 hits stand second. Wooden matched Guilford's school record with 17 doubles this season and led the team in hits, runs batted in (29), on-base percentage and slugging percentage (.637). He also scored 32 runs, hit two homers and had one stolen base.

Shortstop D.J. Phillips and second baseman Jay Cox were also named to the conference honor squad. Phillips (.343, 38R, 19 RBI) was a second team selection and Cox (.343, 23 R, 25 RBI) was named to the honorable mention squad.

Hampden-Sydney (20-21; 9-9): Hampden-Sydney finished February six games above .500 (10-4) but could not follow their early success with wins in March (5-10) nor April (5-6). The Tigers earned the final seed in the ODAC tournament based upon their 2-0 record against Virginia Wesleyan. With a loss in the first round of the ODAC tournament, Hampden-Sydney bounced back with a win over Guilford. A 5-3 loss to Lynchburg ended the season for the Tigers.

Hampden-Sydney placed four players on All-Conference teams. Senior catcher Zach Harrelson (.354, 10 2B, 37 RBI) and freshman third baseman Hunter Lewis (.319, 12 R, 18 RBI) earned First Team honors. Harrelson is the only player this season to have played in all 39 games while starting in 37 of them. The senior broke Hampden-Sydney's career hits record of 161 this season and currently holds the record with 168 total knocks. Lewis is only the second freshman under the current head coach to be named First Team All-ODAC

Sophomore second baseman Beau Flinchum (.369, 13 R, 19 RBI)) was named to the Second Team, and senior reliever Kyle Grantier (3-1, 3.33 ERA, 1 save, 36 SO) earned Honorable Mention accolades.

Pike Brynildsen excelled both of the field and in the classroom for the Marlins. Virginia Wesleyan athletics photo

Virginia Wesleyan (15-21; 9-9): Virginia Wesleyan finished the ODAC season tied with Hampden-Sydney and Guilford but lost on the tie breakers, missing the ODAC tournament by the slimest of margins. The Marlins with the 109th hardest schedule, 2nd in the ODAC, had their first losing season in fifteen years.

Pike Brynildsen came on strong for the Marlins in the last half of the season, matching his consistently strong performance in the classrooms. With excellence on the field and in the  classroom, Brynildsen earned him a major post-season award, the ODAC/Farm Bureau Insurance Scholar-Athlete of the Year in baseball.  It marks the second consecutive year that a Virginia Wesleyan player has earned the award. Brynildsen (.299, 17 R, 6 RBI, 9 SB), who also earned honorable mention All-ODAC honors, shared the post-season awards spotlight with junior teammates Shayne Paskanik (.384, 22 R, 14 2B, 33 RBI) and Jacob Pierce (.379, 34 R, 18 2B, 25 RBI, 11 SB).  While Paskanik was named a first-team All-ODAC honoree, Pierce was named a second team American Baseball Coaches Association All-South honoree.

Eastern Mennonite (11-25; 4-14): Eastern Mennonite's season was unforgettable except one afternoon in March.  Facing the number one team in the nation, the Royals ended the Hornets season opening 19-game win steak with a 4-3 win. Trailing by three runs, the Royals brought 10 men to the plate in the seventh inning, scoring four runs all with two outs. In conference play, Eastern Mennonite swept a two-game series with Roanoke, their final conference games of the season, to escape from the ODAC cellar.

Dylan Smith, the 2010 ODAC batting champ, was given the repeat nod to the All-ODAC second team as he finished 11th in the league with a .342 batting average. The junior had a knack of reaching base, as he was second in the ODAC with a .513 on-base percentage. It was the third time he was honored by the ODAC, also being given Honorable Mention as a freshman. Joining Smith in the All-Conference team was Beau Banglesdorf, a junior transfer from D-I James Madison.  As the season progressed, he found his hitting stroke and finished second with a .315 batting average. The outfielder led the Royals with five home runs, 39 RBIs, and 14 doubles.

Keith Fenner was named to the All-ODAC team in 2011. Emory and Henry athletics photo

Emory and Henry (6-26; 4-14): The Wasps improved one spot higher in the conference standings than in 2010 when they finished last with a 3-15 record. It did not look like an improvement was in the offering as Emory and Henry was 1-14 before recording a modest 2 game win streak, their only paired wins all season.

Emory & Henry's senior pitcher Keith Fenner (2-5, 4.35 ERA, 51 SO) was an honorable selection on the All-ODAC team.  learned Tuesday that he has been drafted by the Washington Wild Things. Fenner will continue playing baseball in the independent leagues as picked up by the Washington Wild Thing in the Frontier League annual player draft.

Roanoke (12-23; 3-15): The Maroons of Roanoke started the conference schedule 0-8 before its signature win of the season. Tyler Grouten pitched 8.1 shutout innings against the top team in the conference the Bridgewater (Va.) before giving way to Michael Haslam who finished the 1-0 shutout. Roanoke would go 3-9 the rest of the way as they won two more games as they did in 2010.