2019 All-Heartland Team | 2019 All-Defensive Team
WACO, Texas – Lubbock Christian senior Hill Alexander was named the Heartland Conference Player of the Year following a vote for the league’s eight head coaches. The conference announced the 2019 All-Heartland Baseball Team and All-Defensive Team awards on Wednesday. Fellow Chap Ryan Johnson was named the conference’s Pitcher of the Year.
LCU’s Alexander was named the Heartland Player of the Year after helping lead the Chaparrals to a second conference championship in three seasons. Alexander led the conference in many offensive categories ranking first in batting average (.404), hits (74), extra-base hits (31), total bases (134), home runs (13) and slugging percentage (.732). His 52 RBI were tied for second as were his 51 runs scored during the regular season. The transfer from DBU also stole six bases on six attempts this season.
Lubbock Christian starter Ryan Johnson was named the Heartland Pitcher of the Year finishing the regular season on a 13-game winning streak on the bump. Johnson led the conference in innings pitched with 93 this season and has not lost a decision in 2019. The senior struck out a conference-high 104 batters averaging 10.06 K/9 and allowing opponents to hit just .210 against him this season. Johnson’s 1.94 ERA ranked second among starting pitchers this season as did the 20 earned runs allowed from the Winnipeg native. Johnson is the third pitcher from LCU to be named the conference’s top pitcher since the Chaps joined the Heartland in 2014.
St. Mary’s transfer Johnny Hernandez was named the Heartland Conference Newcomer of the Year becoming the second-straight Rattler to claim the award. Hernandez was a bright spot for StMU in his first season in San Antonio leading the team in home runs (6), RBI (46) and total bases (92). Hernandez also ranks inside the top 10 in the Heartland Conference in all of those categories.
Oklahoma Christian freshman Blake Empkey was named the Heartland Freshman of the Year after nearly leading the Eagles back to the conference tournament for the first time since 2016 in his rookie campaign. Empkey led his team in RBI with 46 which ranked fifth in the conference during the regular season. Empkey also ranked in the top 10 in the Heartland in hits (62, 8th), doubles. (14, 5th) and sacrifice flies (3, 7th). The Bedford, Texas native is the first player from OC to win a major individual award in baseball since the Eagles joined the Heartland Conference in 2013.
Rogers State head coach Chris Klimas was named the Heartland Conference Coach of the Year after leading the Hillcats to their first conference tournament appearance in the conference. Rogers State finished the regular season 31-16 overall and 14-7 in conference play, which earned the Hillcats the No. 2 seed heading into this week’s tournament. RSU was originally picked sixth to start the season in the preseason poll.
The 2019 Heartland All-Defensive Team was headlined by two schools who landed eight of the 10 spots honoring the conference’s top defensive player at each position as voted by the league coaches. UAFS earned four of the spots with pitcher Javon Rigsby, catcher Dylan Hurt, first baseman Kyle Love and outfielder Logan Allen all earning spots on the team. Allen and Hurt were the only two repeat award winners this on the team. Lubbock Christian’s Chandler Casey, Eddy Vasquez, Andres Negron and Keaton Greenwalt were all named to the team for the Chaps. St. Mary’s third baseman Jake Mares and outfielder Derek Mueller were named to the All-Defensive Team for the Rattlers.
Lubbock Christian had a conference-high eight All-Heartland Team selections, including six first-teamers, which was three more than both Oklahoma Christian and Rogers State who earned five all-conference selections. St. Edward’s and UAFS both earned three selections followed by St. Mary’s and Texas A&M International with two. Newman’s Mitchell Austin was named to the All-Heartland Team for the Jets.