Jamie Lackner

ABCA All-Mideast Region Team
D3baseball.com All-Mideast Region Team

Sophomore first baseman Jamie Lackner was named the American Baseball Coaches Association's NCAA Div. III Mideast Region Player of the Year, and College of Wooster teammates Frank Vance, Michael Houdek, and John McLain joined him on the All-Mideast Region Team, receiving first-, second- and third-team recognition, respectively, the ABCA announced on Wednesday. Also of note, D3baseball.com released its All-Mideast Region Team Monday, with Lackner a first-team selection and both McLain and Vance second-team picks.

Lackner, after batting over .500 the last month of the season (.506; 45-for-89), finished as Wooster's leading hitter with a .420 average and currently tops all of Div. III in home runs (17), RBI (69), and total bases (143). In addition to the 17 homers – the most by a Scot since Kurt Kapferer's 18 during 2006 – he stroked 16 doubles and a triple for an .813 slugging percentage, and when Lackner wasn't hitting his way on base, he still often trotted safely to first via 26 walks and 17 hit by pitches, part of a .532 on-base percentage. In fact, Lackner reached base successfully in all 45 of Wooster's games this year.

Vance, now a two-time all-region honoree, was equally impressive throughout the 2015 campaign, as the senior third baseman hit .405 with 24 doubles, eight triples, seven home runs, and 57 RBI. The 24 two-baggers were just one short of the school record and the eight triples equaled a Scot best, while his 81 hits tied for the fifth-most in program history. A streaky hitter, Vance registered three or more hits in 10 games, headlined by a 6-for-6 effort with a Div. III-record tying five doubles against Wabash College on May 2.

Houdek, a sophomore pitcher, was the ace of the staff. Of the 10 games he got the starting nod, Wooster won nine, and individually, he posted an 8-1 record with a 2.64 ERA and 49 strikeouts while throwing 64.2 innings. Houdek had a complete-game shutout against Hiram College April 18, part of a streak of 18.1 consecutive scoreless innings, and for the season, he held opponents to a .251 batting average.

McLain, a senior shortstop, played a vital role for Div. III's highest-scoring offense (10.7 rpg), finishing with a .347 average and 25 extra-base hits – 14 doubles, five triples, and six home runs – while driving in 46 runs. Exercising patience at the plate, he drew 35 walks, which along with nine hit by pitches, led to a .477 on-base percentage, only second to Lackner on the team. McLain was aggressive on the base paths, tallying a squad-best 15 steals, and good defensively at one of the most challenging positions on the field (.917 fielding percentage).

As a team, the Scots won 36 games (36-9) – currently tied for the fourth-most in Div. III – and were runner-up in the North Coast Athletic Conference.