ATLANTA – A memorable and successful 2022 spring campaign for the Millsaps baseball team was reaffirmed by league coaches as
Jim Page was voted SAA Coach of the Year and eight Majors were named to the All-SAA Team on Wednesday.
Ryan Erwin (relief pitcher) and
Wil Wood (starting pitcher) made the All-SAA First Team,
Avery Brock (first base),
Chris Hart (third base) and
Case Page (designated hitter) garnered Second Team status, while
Mason Little (shortstop),
Mark Petkovsek Jr. (outfield) and
Sam Pitre (outfield) secured Honorable Mention distinction.
The eight total All-Conference honorees is the most the program has earned since 2013 when the Majors tallied nine.
Page guided Millsaps (24-21, 11-10 SAA) to its highest win total since 2018 and most conference victories since 2016. The Majors finished sixth in the SAA and only one game back of third place in the tightly packed standings.
Page made his mark as the Majors won 10 of their final 14 games on the season and advanced to the SAA Championship Series, narrowly falling to No. 3 Birmingham-Southern. The 2022 season also saw Page earn his 800th career win on Feb. 26 following a 9-3 start to the campaign. In 34 seasons, Page's all-time win-loss record is 815-554-3. He was also named SCAC Coach of the Year in 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 2003 and 2005 as well as SAA Coach of the Year in 2013 during the College World Series run.
Erwin was dependable at any moment from the bullpen. He sits third in the SAA with a 7-2 record and sixth with four saves in relief. The Baton Rouge, La., graduate student also ranks in the top 10 in innings pitched (60.2), opposing batting average (.282), ERA (4.01) and runs allowed (32).
Wood, a junior hailing from Memphis, Tenn., was lights out with a league-best 10-3 record and 81.1 innings pitched. In 15 starts, Wood struck out 65 batters – 25 of which were looking – the fourth most in the SAA. He also finished in the top five in opposing batting average (.256).
Brock, a graduate from Fairhope, Ala., started all 45 games at first base or on the mound. He ranks in the SAA top 10 with 47 RBIs and fifth with 10 home runs. The Business Administration student was a dependable glove, posting 257 putouts with a .982 fielding percentage. Additionally, he made 12 appearances as pitcher in 21.1 innings pitched.
Hart provided a rocket arm at third base where he started 45 times. The Brandon, Miss., product finished in the league's top 10 in runs scored (54), hits (62), doubles (13), triples (three), homers (seven), at bats (186) and hit by pitches (14). The senior also drew a team-high 28 walks to go with a .333 batting average.
Sophomore
Case Page, son of head coach
Jim Page, made 35 starts in 40 appearances as the designated hitter or first baseman when Brock entered to pitch. He registered 63 putouts with a perfect fielding percentage. The Flowood, Miss., native finished with 18 walks, 34 hits, 25 runs and 29 RBIs.
Little made the All-SAA Team for the third time in his Millsaps career behind 45 starts at shortstop. Hailing from Montgomery, Ala., he ranked in the SAA's top 10 in both at bats (179) and hit by pitches (13). The fifth-year senior also accumulated 47 hits, 45 runs, 28 RBIs and three home runs.
Petkovsek was an on-base machine, leading the Majors in on-base percentage (.463) and batting average (.351). In 44 games, the senior from Beaumont, Texas, sits second nationally with 27 hit by pitches. He added 52 hits, 38 runs, 26 RBIs, a .973 fielding percentage and team-most six sacrifice flies.
Pitre, finished in the top 10 and led Millsaps with a .577 slugging percentage. The Opelousas, La., junior also paced Millsaps with a perfect 13-of-13 on stolen base attempts and was second with a .342 batting average. Pitre was also named the SAA Player of the Week and earned a spot on the D3baseball.com Team of the Week in early March. The Chemistry major finished with 51 hits, 36 runs, 10 doubles, seven home runs and 39 RBIs.
Wood, Little and Brock were also named to the SAA All-Tournament Team following the SAA Baseball Tournament on Monday.
To keep up to date with everything surrounding the Millsaps baseball program follow the Majors on Twitter and Instagram, like Millsaps Majors Athletics on Facebook or visit gomajors.com.
