St. Paul – The Gustavus baseball team placed a pair of players on the 2013 Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (MIAC) All-Conference Team, which was announced Wednesday. A dynamic one-two punch on the mound, Christopher Kelly (So., Savage, Minn.) and Grant Soderberg (So., Eden Prairie, Minn.) each earn their first All-Conference honors after combining for seven of the team’s 13 wins.
After beginning the season 0-2 as the pitcher of record, Christopher Kelly came back to win each of his next three starts and become one of Gustavus’ go-to pitchers midway through the year. In that stretch, Kelly gave up just three runs – two of which were earned – 11 hits and struck out 15 in 21 innings of work. Kelly also appeared in relief during that time. He came in to preserve a 5-3 win over Saint Mary’s by giving up no runs on two hits in two and two-thirds innings pitched.
On the season, Kelly appeared in 10 games, making eight starts and pitching 47 and two-thirds innings (2nd/team). The sophomore also tallied an earned run average (ERA) of 2.45 (1st/team) after giving up 20 runs, 13 of which were earned. He also recorded 38 strikeouts (2nd/team) compared to 14 walks and held his opponents to a batting average of .212.
Last year’s MIAC Rookie-of-the-Year, Grant Soderberg makes his second appearance in the postseason MIAC awards, however this year’s announcement marks his debut on the All-Conference Team. Like Kelly, Soderberg began his sophomore campaign 0-2 before rattling off four straight victories, including one shutout. In those four wins, Soderberg allowed just four runs in 27 and two-thirds innings pitched.
For the year, Soderberg started all nine games he appeared in on the hill. In those nine starts, he pitched a total of 53 innings (1st/team) and tallied a record of 4-4 with an ERA of 2.89 (2nd/team) stemming from 29 runs allowed, 17 of which were earned. He also recorded 45 strikeouts (1st/team) while surrendering just 12 walks and holding his opponents to a batting average of .253.
As part of a conference-wide sportsmanship initiative, the MIAC announced the seventh-annual All-MIAC Sportsmanship team for baseball. Members of the All-MIAC Sportsmanship team are selected by their coaches and teammates as individuals who demonstrate ideals of positive sportsmanship both on and off the field of competition. Gustavus was represented by senior captain Tim Miller (Sr., Eden Prairie, Minn.) on the All-Sportsmanship Team.
The Gusties finished the season 13-17 (10-10 MIAC) and placing eighth in the conference standings.