Scots claim numerous All-MWC diamond awards

Release Date: May 18, 2005

MONMOUTH, Ill. – The Monmouth College baseball program retuned every position player from coach Roger Sander’s 2004 squad and finished with a school record 24 wins. That success on the diamond was mirrored by the Fighting Scots success at landing eight players on the All-Midwest Conference first team.

Sander was awarded the South Division Coach of the Year honor for the fifth consecutive year after guiding the Scots to the division title and a 24-9 overall mark. A pair of freshmen, pitcher Brian Schutzbach (New Lenox, Ill./Providence) and third baseman Ryan Stubler (Crystal Lake, Ill./Prairie Ridge) were named the South Division Pitcher and Player of the Year, respectively.

Schutzbach got the attention of the league’s coaches by tossing the Scots’ first no-hitter in more than 10 years. He led the pitching staff in strikeouts (85) and innings pitched (75). His 1.92 ERA was tops among starters.

Stubler was referred to as an “RBI machine,” driving in a team-high 30 runs in his inaugural season. His .380 batting average was second among starters.

Other first teamers included four seniors – first baseman Alan Betourne (Washington, Ill./HS), second baseman Tristan Reimolds (Monmouth, Ill./HS), shortstop Thad King (Loraine, Ill./ROWVA) and outfielder Steve Turner (Dunlap, Ill./Notre Dame). King received his fourth consecutive All-MWC honor while Betourne, who set the season record for triples (6) and led the team in batting average (.388) and slugging percentage (.629) garnered his third league honor. Reimolds and Turner collected their second MWC honors. Reimolds led Monmouth in home runs (4).

Juniors named included outfielder Jason Salmon (Metamora, Ill./Notre Dame) and pitcher Dan Dunn (Mapleton, Ill./Illini Bluffs). Salmon was named to his third consecutive All-MWC team and led the Scots in stolen bases (13). Dunn posted the best ERA (1.66) among starters on the staff in earning his first MWC selection.

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