APPLESOX EARN WEST COAST LEAGUE HONORS
/WENATCHEE, Wash. – The Wenatchee AppleSox placed one 2015 player on the West Coast League First Team and two on the WCL Second Team, while four others were noted as honorable mention, President Dennis Koho announced, Thursday.
Keston Hiura (UC Irvine), named to the 2015 Perfect Game Summer Collegiate All-America First Team last week, adds to his summer accolades with a WCL First Team selection.
Hiura sported a team-best .356 batting average and also led the team in runs (39), hits (68), doubles (21), triples (6), RBI (42), HBP (9), sacrifice flies (5), and stolen bases (13). He set single-season team records for doubles (21), triples (6), extra-base hits (33), and total bases (119). Also, Hiura finished the season by reaching base in 41 consecutive games. In total, he reached base in all but one of his 49 games played.
Mitchell Holland (UC Irvine), joined his Anteater teammate, earning a second team bid. Hunter Wells (Gonzaga) was also named to the second team.
Holland was the Sox second-best hitter in 2015. He finished with a .312 average, three home runs, 29 RBI, 12 walks, and three stolen bases. He was Wenatchee’s Home Run Derby representative at the 2015 WCL All Star Game.
Wells tied a team record, posting a seven-win season, placing him atop Wenatchee’s record books with Owen Jones (2011). He was the only All Star selected from the AppleSox pitching staff, and posted a low ERA, for starting pitchers, at 2.76. He also was the team’s strikeout leader with 56.
Evan Douglas (Spokane Falls CC), Zach Haggett (Spokane Falls CC), Dustin Hamilton (Central Washington), and Sean Sparling (UC Irvine) were all noted as Honorable Mention All-WCL.
Douglas led the Sox in home runs (7), Haggett was second on the team in wins (6) and starter’s ERA (3.72), Hamilton led Wenatchee in saves (5), and Sean Sparling posted the lowest ERA of any AppleSox pitcher (1.60).
Wenatchee’s seven representatives are the first coached to All-League honors by AJ Proszek. Bend led the league in first-team selections (4), and the Kelowna Falcons captured at least a share of each individual WCL award. Falcons' shortstop Hunter Villanueva of Fresno Pacific earned MVP honors, Kelowna right-hander Brady Miller of Western Oregon was named WCL Pitcher of the Year, and Falcon skipper Billy Clontz was the league's pick for Coach of the Year. Kelowna GM Mark Nonis shared Executive of the Year recognition with first-year Bend Elks general manager Casey Powell.