FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

CHAPMAN BASEBALL ROPES IN THREE TOP HONORS ON ALL-INDEPENDENT TEAM

ORANGE, Calif. – Chapman University had eight players named to the Association of Division III Independents All-Independent baseball team on Wednesday, including junior right-hander Devin Drag who earned Pitcher of the Year honors and freshman first baseman Patrick Ohail who was named Rookie of the Year. Also, Chapman head coach Tom Terescuk earned co-Coach of the Year for the second straight season.

Drag, who also earned West Region Pitcher of the Year honors from the Collegiate Baseball Writers Association and All-America first team, completed the season 10-2 with a 0.82 ERA in 88 innings as both a starter and reliever. He also ranked in the top-five in the nation in saves with eight. He and two-time first team All-America Buddy Klovstad were named first team All-Independent. Klovstad won 18 consecutive decisions from April ’04 to April ’06 and finished his career 28-3, a Chapman wins record. The senior right-hander was 13-1 with a 2.44 ERA.

Joining them on the first team was Ohail, who led the Panthers with 19 doubles while batting .335 with 31 RBI. All-West Region selections Brian Brubaker and Tyler Dean were also named to the All-Independent first team. Brubaker, a senior outfielder, led Chapman with a .414 batting average, six homers and 11 stolen bases. Dean, a junior third baseman, batted .308 with six homers, 35 RBI and a team-high 46 runs.

Three more Panthers earned honorable mention from the Association: seniors Billy Sulentor (LHP), John Alexander (C) and freshman Steve Fraser (OF). Sulentor, among Chapman’s all-time leaders in strikeouts, was 5-5 with a 3.41 ERA and tossed 26 straight scoreless innings. Alexander led the Panthers in RBI (38) and on-base percentage (.502) in 2006, while batting .382. And Fraser batted .299 with four home runs and 23 RBI, while not committing an error in 67 chances.

The Association of Division III Independents consists of 19 Division III independent institutions that have joined together to recognize student-athletes at independent institutions, and to provide exempted postseason championship competition in seven sports in 2005-06. The Association recognizes outstanding athletic achievements of its student-athletes on a weekly, monthly and annual basis. The Association also provides statistical services for its members in seven sports, and has announced All-Independent teams at the conclusion of eight other sports this year. Chapman is a charter member of the Association.

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