UW-Stevens Point Lands Four on All-WIAC Baseball Squad

     Four UW-Stevens Point baseball players have been named to the All-Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference first team, while four others earned honorable mention accolades.

     Junior first baseman Ryan Jones and junior catcher Joe Waksmonski both earned first-team honors for the second straight year, while junior pitcher Josh Blaha and junior designated hitter Matt Peetz both received their first career all-conference awards.

     Meanwhile, senior pitcher Jeff Pieper, senior leftfielder Kevin Fry, junior shortstop Mike Hall and freshman second baseman Jake Frombach were named honorable mention.

     The Pointers finished 26-14-1 overall and placed third in the WIAC, winning at least 26 games for the seventh consecutive season.

     Jones, an Eau Claire North High School graduate, led the team in home runs for the second straight year with 12 this season while playing every inning in all 41 games. He hit .364 with 45 RBI�s and shared the team lead with 13 doubles and 56 runs scored.

     Waksmonski, a Schofield native and D.C. Everest High School graduate, led the Pointers with a .377 average and team-highs 57 hits and 47 RBI�s. He tied with Jones for the team lead with 13 doubles and 56 runs scored, while also hitting nine home runs. Waksmonski caught all but two of the team�s 325 defensive innings this season.

     Blaha, a Two Rivers native, was one of the team�s top starting pitchers with a 3.91 ERA and 4-3 record. He posted 43 strikeouts in 50 2/3 innings and allowed opponents to hit for a .231 average. Blaha was the only WIAC pitcher to record two shutouts this season, blanking Albion (Mich.) and UW-Oshkosh.

     Peetz, a Spring Green native and River Valley High School graduate, started 40 games at designated hitter and finished with a .344 average and 42 RBI�s. Peetz had 52 hits, including eight doubles and six home runs.

     Pieper, a Wausau West High School graduate, earned his fourth All-WIAC mention, garnering honorable mention honors in 2001 and first-team accolades in 2000 and 2002. He went 6-1 with a 4.48 ERA and set the UW-Stevens Point all-time record for career winning percentage at .793 with a 23-6 career record.

     Fry, a Helenville native and Lakeside Lutheran graduate, was also an honorable mention selection in 2000 and posted a .325 average with 12 doubles this season. He ranks second in school history with 40 career doubles and third all-time with 152 games played.

     Hall, a Manitowoc native and Lincoln High School graduate, hit .356 with a team-high 62 hits and nine home runs. He posted a team-high eight stolen bases and had a .940 fielding percentage at shortstop.

     Frombach, a Stratford native, was one of five freshmen to earn any All-WIAC mention while hitting .311 for the season. Frombach ranked fifth in the WIAC and led the Pointers with a .390 average in league play.