After its 2010 playoff run came to an end in Warrensburg, Missouri, the University of the Incarnate Word baseball team has had several players earn post-season recognition and awards from various organizations.
First, starting pitcher Kirk Jewasko was named to the 2010 Daktronics NCAA Diviion II Baseball All-American Second Team for his efforts on the mound for UIW.
Jewasko finished his sophomore season with a 3.38 ERA and a 12-3 record. He started 17 games for a combined 106.2 innings, including four complete games and a shutout. He led the team in strikeouts with 105, which is the new, all-time best for a UIW pitcher in a season (beating out Hector Delgadillo with 95 in 2004). Additionally, he now has 175 career strikeouts at UIW, putting him fifth all-time. Also, his 12 victories ties him for second, all-time in a season, with two other former Cardinals.
The San Antonio native was also named to the NCBWA All-South Central Region First Team along with a Cardinal teammate.
Also earning First Team honors from the NCBWA is third baseman Reno Malay. The senior from Buda, TX, finished third on the team with a .395 batting average and started 58-of-60 games. He finished with 75 hits (16 doubles, 2 triples and 5 home runs) and had 42 RBIs.
On the NCBWA Second Team is UIW senior reliever Alfredo Caballero. The Uvalde native excelled in his role as the Cardinals’ closer, earning a 1.26 ERA in 32 appearances, including a 6-1 record. Caballero’s 10 saves are an all-time best for a Cardinal pitcher in a season and his 10 career saves ties him for second-most, all-time, with Chris Deinhammer (1993-94).
Finally, a group of Cardinals were recognized on the 2010 Rawlings/American Baseball Coaches Association (ABBA) All-South Central Region first and second teams.
Jewasko was a member of the first team as a starting pitcher, while Matt Roohan and Tyler Hicks were second team honorees at Utility and Outfield, respectively.
Roohan, a San Antonio native, finished with a .384 batting average (84 hits in 219 at-bats). He had a team-leading 60 RBIs and 7 home runs and was tied for the team lead in doubles with 19. Despite getting the fourth-most at-bats for UIW, the junior struck out only 16 times and had an on-base percentage of .575.
Hicks, a senior from Marble Falls, had the second-best batting average for UIW with .397 and led the team in hits with 87 (including 14 doubles, 1 triple and 2 homers). Playing center field for the Cardinals, he only had two errors all year (a .979 fielding percentage) and stole a team-leading 11 bases. His 219 at-bats put him in a tie for the all-time most trips to the plate in UIW history with Mike Rodriguez in 2001.