2008 Woodie Awards
Year in Review: Baseball
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The Western baseball team continued its run at the top of the GNAC conference and eventually fell just short of a college World Series bid in a sparkling 2005 campaign.
The Wolves ended the year with an overall record of 42-15, a GNAC mark of 21-3 and another conference title. For the second time in three seasons, Western made the West Region tournament, this time advancing all the way to the title game before a loss to Chico State ended World Series dreams. Western ended the season ranked 13th in the NCAA Division II national poll.
Senior catcher Greg McCarthy capped one of the finest collegiate careers of any Western player by earning GNAC Player of the Year honors. He ended his run at Western with numerous school records, including the single-season batting average record at .442 and overall RBI mark with 183.
Joining McCarthy on the All-GNAC first team were junior pitcher Trent Kristjanson—also the conference Pitcher of the Year—senior pitcher Brian Fadling, junior first baseman Matt Skundrick, senior second baseman Jordan Ramos, senior third baseman Mike McRae and senior outfielder Aaron Karnofski. Honorable mention selections included sophomore pitcher Nick Waechter, senior outfielder Billy Powell and junior designated hitter Jason Pohl. Additionally, Head Coach Terry Baumgartner was named GNAC Co-Coach of the Year.
Western entered the West Region tournament as the No. 3 seed, then lost to second-seeded Chico State 12-4 in the opening round of the double-elimination tournament. The Wolves kept their season alive with a 14-2 drubbing of No. 4 New Mexico Highlands in which Waechter struck out 10. Next, Western upset No. 1 seed Mesa State 8-1 behind the arm of Fadling.
Western’s magic stopped there though, as the squad lost to Chico St.—the fifth loss to the Wildcats this season—by a 6-1 margin to end the Wolves’ incredible season.