UW-Platteville sluggers Ross Bennett and Mike Flood earned first team all-Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference baseball honors, while record-setting base-stealer Jason Watson was an honorable mention selection.
The trio helped the Pioneers to a 19-19 record, including a 5-2 mark against NCAA Division I or II teams. By going 19-19 this year and 22-21 last spring, the Pioneers recorded the first back-to-back years of .500 or better since the 1992-93 campaigns. What made this season's record even more impressive is the Pioneers played all 38 games on the road, as their new field is being built.
Bennett, a sophomore outfielder from Mequon (Homestead High School), hit a team-high .385 and tied the school record with 10 home runs. He led the WIAC in slugging percentage at .720, which is also a Pioneer record. Bennett became the first player in school history to record more than 100 total bases, as he finished with 103. He led UWP with 35 runs scored and 42 RBIs and tied another school mark with five hits in one game.
Both Bennett and Flood tied Pioneer records with two home runs in a single contest. Flood, a junior catcher from Madison (La Follette) hit .301 overall, including .333 vs. WIAC schools, with seven doubles and four home runs. Flood handled a young Pioneer pitching staff that finished fourth in the league. In addition, he gunned down 17 would-be base stealers in 37 attempts.
Watson, a senior third baseman from Boscobel, finished his career as one of the top base-stealers in league history. He swiped 80 bases during his four years, second all-time in league annals. With 23 thefts this year, Watson was second in the WIAC and also recorded the second-highest total in school history, only behind his 38 last year. He finished with 2006 campaign with a .316 batting average.
2006 All-WIAC Baseball Team
First Team
Name, School, Year, Position, Hometown (High School)
Eddie Adamson, Whitewater, Senior, Utility, Wheaton, Ill.
Justin Bach, La Crosse, Senior, Secondbase, Wisconsin Rapids (Lincoln)
Ross Bennett, Platteville, Sophomore, Outfield, Mequon (Homestead)
Chuck Brehm, Stevens Point, Senior, Centerfield, Spencer
Adam Dominick, Whitewater, Sophomore, Righthanded Pitcher, Waukesha (West)
Adam Evanoff, Stevens Point, Junior, Firstbase, Plover (SPASH)
Mike Flood, Platteville, Junior, Catcher, Madison (LaFollette)
Jake Frombach, Stevens Point, Senior, Shortstop, Stratford
Mike Jacobson, Whitewater, Sophomore, Lefthanded Pitcher, Oak Creek
Matt Krause, Stout, Sophomore, Catcher, Bonduel
Seth Maier, Stout, Junior, Shortstop, Park Falls
Josh Perkins, Stevens Point, Senior, Righthanded Pitcher, Two Rivers
Andy Podmolik, La Crosse, Junior, Centerfield, Phillips
Ben Prather, Whitewater, Sophomore, Outfield, Shaumburg, Ill. (Conant)
Tim Schneider, Stout, Sophomore, Centerfield, West Salem (Onalaska Lutheran)
Bryan Schwebke, Oshkosh, Junior, Outfield, Oshkosh (West)
Josh Shere, Oshkosh, Senior, Shortstop, Janesville (Craig)
Jordan Stine, Whitewater, Freshman, Outfield, Merrill
Jim Ziegler, Oshkosh, Senior, Righthanded Pitcher, Eden (Campbellsport)
Jordan Zimmermann, Stevens Point, Sophomore, Righthanded Pitcher, Auburndale
Honorable Mention
Joe Bemis, La Crosse, Senior, Righthanded Pitcher, Stoughton
Adam Bretl, Oshkosh, Junior, Righthanded Pitcher, Sturgeon Bay (Southern Door)
Brandon Burgert, Oshkosh, Sophomore, Catcher, Oshkosh (West)
Doug Coe, Stevens Point, Junior, Catcher, Appleton (North)
Scott Decker, Stout, Junior, Righthanded Pitcher, Eau Claire (Memorial)
Steve Ems, La Crosse, Junior, Thirdbase, Waterford (Union)
Mickey Fadness, Oshkosh, Freshman, Secondbase, Eau Claire (Memorial)
Ryan Hopkins, Stevens Point, Junior, Righthanded Pitcher, Libertyville, Ill. (Carmel)
Tony Peterson, La Crosse, Junior, Firstbase/Designated Hitter, Savage, Minn. (Burnsville)
Adam Roos, Oshkosh, Junior, Righthanded Pitcher, Thunder Bay, Ontario, Canada (Hammarskjold)
Luke Schultz, Stout, Junior, Secondbase, Menomonie
John Stetzenbach, La Crosse, Senior, Shortstop, Waukesha (Wisconsin Lutheran)
Billy Tafs, Superior, Sophomore, Outfield, Hermantown, Minn.
Nick Teach, Whitewater, Senior, Infield, New Berlin (Eisenhower)
Jason Watson, Platteville, Senior, Thirdbase, Boscobel
Matt Zurbriggen, La Crosse, Senior, Righthanded Pitcher, Onalaska
Position Player of the Year: Chuck Brehm of Stevens Point
Pitcher of the Year: Jordan Zimmermann of Stevens Point
Max Sparger Scholar-Athlete: John Stetzenbach of La Crosse
Coach of the Year: Chris Schwarz of La Crosse
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