Southwest Baptist University

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- SBU infielder Nigel Morton was named to the All-MIAA Baseball First Team, while outfielder Paden Grubbs picked All-MIAA Second Team honors and third baseman Justin Barnhart earned Honorable Mention when the awards were announced Wednesday by the league office.

Morton, a junior from Fairbanks, Alaska and transfer from Treasure Valley CC, led the Bearcats with a .364 average and was second on the team with eight stolen bases and three triples. Morton's average ranked 14th in the MIAA and his eight sacrifice bunts tied for fifth among league leaders. Morton excelled with men on base, hitting .370, and also was strong in conference games, hitting .386. Morton saw time at both middle infield slots, starting 22 games at second base and 26 at shortstop.

Grubbs, a junior from Marionville, Mo. and transfer from North Arkansas CC, ranked among the MIAA leaders in home runs (12 - tied 4th), doubles (16 - tied 4th), slugging percentage (.649 - 8th), and runs batted in (42 - tied 14th). In SBU's biggest win of the season, a 12-11 comeback win over #2 Central Missouri, Grubbs homered three times and drove in five as the Bearcats rallied from an 8-1 deficit. He just missed the school record of 13 long balls, set by Rodney Noel in 1987 and was the most for an SBU player since Kevin Miller in 2005. Grubbs recorded the highest slugging percentage at SBU since 2000.

Barnhart, a senior from St. Charles, Mo., picked up the second All-MIAA honor of career with Wednesday's honor. He also earned Second Team honors as a utility player in 2008. He hit .295 on the year with two home runs and 26 RBI while starting all 50 games. Barnhart ranked among the MIAA leaders in walks (27 - 6th), plate appearances (218 - 4th) and at-bats (183 - tied 3rd). Barnhart had a team season high of six RBI against Lincoln in April.

Central Missouri outfielder Chance Tuttle was named the 2010 MIAA Player of the Year after finishing second in the conference with a .447 batting average.Nebraska-Omaha sophomore Joe Holtmeyer is the 2010 MIAA Pitcher of the Year. The Omaha, Neb., product led the MIAA with a 1.90 earned run average, struck out a league-leading 137 batters (59 more than the second-most), and tied for the conference lead with nine wins.

Nebraska-Omaha first baseman Tyler Splichal was selected as the 2010 MIAA Freshman of the Year after a season in which he led the MIAA in doubles with 21, finished sixth in the league with a .407 batting average.Central Missouri head coach Tom Myers was voted as the 2010 MIAA Coach of the Year after leading the Mules to their eighth MIAA regular season title in the last 11 years.

2010 ALL-MIAA BASEBALL TEAM

PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Chance Tuttle, Sr., OF, Central Missouri

PITCHER OF THE YEAR
Joe Holtmeyer, So., Nebraska-Omaha

FRESHMAN OF THE YEAR
Tyler Splichal, 1B, Nebraska-Omaha

COACH OF THE YEAR
Tom Myers, Central Missouri

FIRST TEAM
SP: Brooks Martin, Sr., Central Missouri**
SP: Joe Holtmeyer, So., Nebraska-Omaha**
SP: Ben Graham, Sr., Emporia State
RP: Nick Phillips, Sr., Central Missouri
C: David Albritton, Jr., Emporia State
1B: Nick DeBiasse, Jr., Central Missouri
2B: Andrew Hansen, Sr., Nebraska-Omaha [r1]
SS: Jacob Taylor, Sr., Missouri Southern
3B: Frank Specht, Jr., Central Missouri
OF: Chance Tuttle, Sr., Central Missouri** [r1]
OF: Tyler Lundy, Sr., Nebraska-Omaha
OF: Jeremy Francis, Sr., Emporia State
DH: Michael Zurmehly, Sr., Missouri Southern
UT: Nigel Morton, Jr., Southwest Baptist

**Unanimous Selection
[r1] - Repeat first team selection from last season

SECOND TEAM
SP: Jake Hosey, Jr., Emporia State
SP: Matt Curtis, Jr., Central Missouri
SP: Matt Augustine, Sr., Fort Hays State
SP: Raul Guevara, Jr., Washburn
RP: Mat Atkinson, Sr., Fort Hays State
C: Joe Lincoln, Jr., Missouri Southern
1B: Tyler Splichal, Fr., Nebraska-Omaha
2B: Taylor Sibala, Jr., Pittsburg State
SS: Bret Schwartz, So., Central Missouri
3B: Brady Hohl, So., Nebraska-Omaha
OF: Jon Wegener, Jr., Central Missouri
OF: Tyler Ruch, Jr., Central Missouri
OF: Travis Whipple, Jr., Emporia State
OF: Paden Grubbs, Jr., Southwest Baptist
OF: Thomas Holiday, Sr., Washburn
DH: Sloan Soulia, Jr., Fort Hays State
UT: Brian Clark, Sr., Washburn

[Note: Ties in voting created additional spots at SP and OF]

HONORABLE MENTION
Central Missouri: Ryan Allen, Sr., SP; Alex Kent, Sr., RP; Eric Cole, Jr., C; Scott Bradbury, So., DH.

Fort Hays State: Garrett Morgan, Sr., RP; Ryan Majercik, Jr., C; Kyle Stacken, Jr., 1B; Nash Smith, So., OF; Jordan Payne, Jr., OF; Chase Schippers, Jr., UT.

Missouri Southern: Garrett Groom, Sr., SP.

Missouri Western: Brandon Simmons, Fr., SP; Ian Atkinson, Jr., 3B; Isaac Rome, Jr., DH.

Northwest Missouri: Chris Green, Jr., SP; Jayson Huett, Jr., RP; Matt Stice, Sr., OF.

Pittsburg State: Jeremy Graves, Jr., SS; Rhett Rigby, Sr., OF.

Southwest Baptist: Justin Barnhart, Sr., 3B.

Truman: Ryan Trimble, So., SP; Luke Crader, Jr., 2B; Steven Rose, So., SS.

Washburn: Dustin Holthaus, Sr., SP; Andy Petz, Jr., C; Dane Simoneau, Jr., SS.