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(clockwise from top-left) Travis McGee, Mark Saatzer, Andrew Carbajal, Braden Riddle, Connor Battaglia and Matt Gandy (Larry Newman Photography)
(clockwise from top-left) Travis McGee, Mark Saatzer, Andrew Carbajal, Braden Riddle, Connor Battaglia and Matt Gandy (Larry Newman Photography)
Posted: May 08, 2014

McGee leads six-pack of baseball All-SCIAC nods

ORANGE – The Chapman men's baseball team saw a conference-leading six players receive All-SCIAC honors following an outstanding bounce-back season in which the Panthers finished second in the standings with a 30-13 record (21-8 in SCIAC) and in line for an NCAA postseason berth.

Senior RHP Travis McGee was named the conference's Pitcher of the Year to headline the list. Senior IF Mark Saatzer, senior OF Andrew Carbajal and sophomore RHP Braden Riddle each received First Team recognition. Sophomore DH Matt Gandy and senior OF Connor Battaglia earned Second Team honors.

Just one season removed from Tommy John surgery, McGee led the SCIAC in strikeouts with 77. The right-hander went 6-2 with one save and his 2.59 ERA led the Panthers and also placed him third in the conference. The senior recorded an outstanding 11.1 strikeouts per nine innings which currently ranks him in the top 25 nationally.

Saatzer finished off an impressive 2014 campaign by leading the Panthers in runs (44) as well as RBI (36). The first baseman also led the team by hitting .400, which was good for fourth in the SCIAC. The senior hit safely in 35 of 43 games including a team-high 18-game hitting streak. It's Saatzer's second consecutive All-SCIAC selection.

Carbajal hit .392 as the Panthers' leadoff man with 35 RBI, placing him second on the team in both categories. The speedster finished second in the conference in stolen bases (12). Chapman's everyday left fielder also hit four home runs including two grand slams.

A utility arm for Chapman, Riddle led the team in wins (7-2) and saves with four (tied), making six starts before finishing the year as the bullpen ace. Riddle posted a 3.12 ERA and had 51 strikeouts in 57.2 innings for Chapman.

Second team honors were awarded to Gandy and Battaglia who were outstanding in their own right in the middle of the Chapman lineup. Gandy ranked second in the conference with nine home runs and batted .333 with 31 RBI. Battaglia earned his second All-SCIAC honor after batting .358 as the Panthers' everyday centerfielder and ranked fourth in the conference with 11 stolen bases.

The Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference was established in 1915. The league is currently comprised of nine private colleges and universities in Southern California: California Institute of Technology, California Lutheran University, Chapman University, Claremont-Mudd-Scripps Colleges, University of La Verne, Occidental College, Pomona-Pitzer Colleges, University of Redlands, and Whittier College. The conference recognizes outstanding athletic achievements of its student-athletes on a weekly and annual basis.

2014 All-SCIAC Baseball Team: http://www.thesciac.org/sports/bsb/2013-14/releases/201405087khmbs

by Michael Schwartz & Doug Aiken
Sports Information Intern & Sports Information Director

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