DSU Trojan Baseball News
DAC Baseball All-Conference and Awards Announced
Eight Trojan Athletes Earned All-Conference; Rhodes Named DAC Freshman of the Year; Burpee and Biagi Earn DAC Gold Glove
May 5, 2008
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| Matt Burpee *DAC All-Conference 1st Team *DAC Gold Glove |
Greg Biagi *DAC All-Conference 1st Team *DAC Gold Glove |
Jason Ciz *DAC All-Conference 1st Team |
Dan Rhodes *DAC All-Conference 1st Team *DAC Freshman of the Year |
David Morgan *DAC All-Conference 1st Team |
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| Josh Guild *DAC All-Conference 2nd Team |
Jeff Savas *DAC All-Conference 2nd Team |
Mike Young *DAC All-Conference 2nd Team |
(Madison, SD) - The Dakota Athletic Conference (DAC) baseball coaches
tabbed eight Dakota State players for DAC All-Conference teams and
one player named to DAC Freshman of the Year. Matt Burpee,
Greg Biagi, Jason Ciz, Dan Rhodes, and David Morgan earned first
team All-Conference. Josh Guild, Jeff Savas, and Mike Young
were honored as second team All-Conference. Rhodes was named
DAC Freshman of the Year. Burpee and Biagi were named to DAC
Gold Glove Team for the second straight year.
First baseman Burpee was named to DAC
All-Conference 1st Team and DAC Gold Glove for the second
straight year. For the season, he is .363 in batting average,
45 hits with 13 doubles, three homeruns, and 32 RBIs. His
slugging percentage was .540 for the season. On defense,
Burpee fielded 1.000 with 243 catches, 232 putouts, and no errors
with 20 double plays this season. Matt is the son of Jim and
Meryl Burpee of Auburn, WA and majoring in Exercise Science at
Dakota State University.
Biagi, senior shortstop from Colfax, WA,
earned DAC All-Conference 1st Team Shortstop and DAC Gold
Glove for two straight years. Early in the season, he was
named to NAIA Baseball Preseason All-American Team. He hit
.314 with 49 hits, 13 doubles, one triple, and recorded eight
homeruns this season. In addition, Biagi amassed 31 RBIs with
a slugging percentage of .564 and stole seven bases. He turned
18 double plays in defense and recorded 118 assists and 180 catches.
Greg is the son of Robert and Deborah Biagi and is a Computer
Graphic Design major at Dakota State.
Senior Jason Ciz made his fourth straight
DAC All-Conference selection as he was named to the DAC
All-Conference 1st Team. He finished the season
with a record of 4-2 and 3.81 ERA in 15 games pitched. Ciz
pitched 59 total innings with three complete games, allowing 60
hits, 35 runs (25 earned), and struck out 46 batters. Jason is
the son of John and Dee Ciz of Wheatland, WY and plans to graduate
in May 2008 in Exercise Science.
Rhodes, a freshman pitcher from Madison,
SD, was honored as DAC All-Conference 1st Team Pitcher
and DAC Freshman of the Year. In nine games pitched this
season, his ERA was 5.11 with 4-2 pitching record and struck out 42
batters. He started in six games with two complete games
pitched, allowing 54 hits and 30 runs (28 earned). Dan is the
son of James and Lori Rhodes of Madison, SD.
Morgan had an impressive pitching season
as he recorded a 6-3 record with eight saves as he earned DAC
All-Conference 1st Team Relief Pitcher. He led in
team ERA with 3.50 as well as recording 53 strikeouts this season.
He pitched in 22 games, three as a starter, and allowed 41 hits and
21 runs (18 earned). David is the son of David and Kathy
Morgan of Kelso, WA and majors in Exercise Science at Dakota State
University.
Guild, senior second baseman from Tacoma,
WA, was named to DAC All-Conference 2nd Team 2nd
Base. In 40 games this season, he was .396 in batting average
with 59 hits, six doubles, one triple, and two homeruns. He
recorded 27 RBIs with a slugging percentage of .490. Josh is
the son of Greg and Judy Guild of Tacoma, WA and majors in Exercise
Science at Dakota State.
Senior outfielder Savas earned DAC
All-Conference 2nd Team Outfielder as he finished the
season with a .381 batting average. He amassed 56 hits, 14
doubles, one triple, and one homerun this season. Savas,
started in every game this season, has a slugging percentage of .531
and walked 30 times. He stole the base 12 times in 13
attempts. Jeff is the son of George and Dianne Savas of
Auburn, WA and is an Exercise Science major at DSU.
Catcher Mike Young earned DAC
All-Conference 2nd Team Catcher as he started in all 41
games this season. For the season, he was .246 in batting
average with 32 hits, ten doubles, eight homeruns, and 32 RBIs.
In defense, he was .990 in fielding percentage with 289 catches, 263
putouts and 23 assists. Young caught runners stealing 16 times
out of 33 attempts with a percentage of .673. Mike is the son
of Steve & Lupe Young of La Quinta, CA.
The Trojans finished the season with a
record of 24-17 overall and 10-7 in the DAC Conference. The
season highlights both DAC Conference Regular Season Runner-Up
honors and DAC Postseason Tournament Runner-Up. The Trojans
also recorded a win over NCAA Division II Minnesota State-Mankato
and three wins over NCAA Division III schools. In addition,
the Trojans finished the season with a perfect home record with a
5-0 record including key wins over Mayville State, Minot State, and
Northwestern (IA).