Eastern Michigan Athletics
Baseball Announces 2009 Awards
9/4/2009 3:00:00 PM | Baseball
Kyle Rhoad named Most Valuable Player
YPSILANTI, Mich. (EMUEagles.com) – In conjunction with the team's golf outing, Sept. 4, Eastern Michigan University head baseball coach Jay Alexander announced the team awards from the 2009 season.
Outgoing senior Kyle Rhoad (Fostoria, Ohio-Elmwood) was named Most Valuable Player and Defensive Player of the Year after his stellar 2009 season for the Eagles. A third-team Academic All-American in 2009, Rhoad started all 60 games and led the Eagles with a .349 batting average to go along with 12 homers, 34 RBI, and a team and Mid-American Conference best 32 stolen bases. He recorded 25 multiple hit games and had the Eagles' longest hitting streak of the season in 2009 (16 games). His 32 stolen bases are an EMU single season record and his 66 career stolen bases rank third all-time. Rhoad ranks fourth all-time in runs scored (158), ninth in hits (206), 10th in at-bats (648) and 11th in home runs (24). His 69 runs scored this past season are the third most in a single season in EMU baseball history. Rhoad was selected by the Texas Rangers in the 33rd round of the MLB Draft. He was named to the MAC All-Tournament team and was one of 30 national candidates for the Lowe's Senior CLASS Award.
Junior Corey Chaffins (New London, Ohio-New London) was named the team's Most Valuable Pitcher after going 5-3 on the mound in 11 starts, tallying a team-best 69 strikeouts in 66.2 innings pitched. Chaffins earned second-team All-MAC honors in 2009 and was named the MAC West Pitcher of the Week twice (April 13, May 1).
Junior Matt Skirving (Midland, Mich.-H.H. Dow) was named Most Valuable Hitter after an impressive 2009 season. Skirving started 55 games, splitting time at catcher, first base, and designated hitter, and batted .348 with 16 homers and a team-best 64 RBI. He was a first-team All-Region and All-MAC selection at designated hitter and was an Academic All-MAC selection.
Outgoing junior Jim Gulliver (Allen Park, Mich.-Allen Park) was named Most Improved Player in 2009, after raising his offensive season totals in nearly every category in 2008. A second-team All-MAC selection this past season, Gulliver started all 60 games for the Eagles, batting .338 with 14 home runs, 61 RBI, 61 runs scored and a .623 slugging percentage. Gulliver tallied 22 multiple hit games and 17 multiple RBI games for the Eagles in 2009. Gulliver was named the MAC West Player of the Week, May 11, and helped the Eagles claim a 9-5 win over the Ohio State University, May 12, in Columbus, Ohio after going 3-for-4 with two homers, including a grand slam, and five RBI. Gulliver was selected in the 20th round of the MLB Draft by the Detroit Tigers.
Outgoing senior Sean Hoffman (Midland, Mich.-Midland) earned the Eagle Award after a great 2009 season, while junior John Carrier (Ann Arbor, Mich.-Catholic Central) earned the Ron Oestrike Award.
2009 Team Awards
Most Valuable Player – Kyle Rhoad
Most Valuable Pitcher – Corey Chaffins
Most Valuable Hitter – Matt Skirving
Most Improved Player – Jim Gulliver
Defensive Player of the Year – Kyle Rhoad
Eagle Award – Sean Hoffman
Ron Oestrike Award – John Carrier
