Rallings Pac-12 Pitcher Of The Year; Four Huskies Earn All-Conference Honors
June 02, 2016 | Baseball
SAN FRANCISCO – The Pac-12 announced its end-of-season award winners and Washington senior Troy Rallings was named the conference's Pitcher of the Year. Joining Rallings on the Pac-12 All-Conference Team were three other Huskies: infielder Chris Baker, outfielder Jack Meggs and catcher Joey Morgan.
Baker and Meggs also earned All-Pac-12 Defensive Team honors – Baker at third base and Meggs in the outfield.
Three Huskies also earned All-Pac-12 honorable mention honors: pitcher Noah Bremer, second baseman Levi Jordan and first baseman John Naff.
Rallings has a 4-1 record and 0.89 ERA in 28 appearances this season. The Huskies are 24-4 in game in which Rallings has pitched.
Rallings' earned run average ranks second nationally and is the lowest single-season ERA in UW history – the sixth lowest in Pac-12 history. In 61 innings, he leads the Pac-12 in numerous other categories including: fewest hits (32), fewest runs (7), fewest earned runs (6) and a league best .155 batting average against.
The right-hander from Carlsbad, Calif. has recorded 16 saves – a mark that is tied for third nationally, tied for first in the Pac-12 and is second all-time in UW single-season history. Among Rallings' 16 saves, only one has fit the conventions of what a typical closer records – three outs or less. He has eight saves that were four to six outs and six saves that were seven to nine outs. His season-long save was 3 2/3 innings (11 outs).
He is just the second Washington pitcher to earn Conference Pitcher of the Year. Tim Lincecum won the honor twice, 2004 and 2006.
Baker earned All-Pac-12 honors after leading the Huskies in numerous categories, including hitting (.325), hits (66), triples (3), home runs (7), RBI (34), slugging percentage (.512) and multi-hit games (21). The San Mateo, Calif. native was second on the team with 32 runs and 11 doubles.
Baker started all 53 games this season and had at least 10 starts at three different infield positions: third base (31), second base (12) and shortstop (10). He made nine errors on the season and flashed amazing glove skills and a strong arm all season long. The junior had a .953 fielding percentage.
Meggs started all 53 games for the Huskies, batting second and manning center field all season long. He hit .286 with one home run and 18 RBI. The junior from Bellevue, Wash. was a table-setter for the Huskies' offense as he led the nation with 23 sacrifice bunts and was second on the team with 58 hits. Meggs tied Baker for the team lead with 203 at bats and was second with 19 multi-hit games. In the outfield, Meggs made 128 putouts, recorded five outfield assists and made just three errors.
Morgan, a sophomore from Sisters, Ore., was equally valuable with his bat and behind the plate. He hit .269 with five home runs and 25 RBI. He led the Huskies with 12 doubles and was second on the team with 17 extra-base hits. Morgan played in all 53 games, making 47 starts – 43 at catcher. Among regular Pac-12 catchers, runners rarely challenged him as he was one of the toughest to steal against. Only 23 stolen bases were notched against Morgan and runners only made 32 attempts against him.
Bremer led the Huskies with 93.2 innings and was 4-5 with a 3.17 ERA.
Jordan hit a team-high .356 in Pac-12 action, .307 overall with a home run and 24 RBI. He also led the league with 171 assists.
Naff was ninth in the Pac-12 with a .422 on-base percentage and hit .300 with four home runs and 23 RBI.
California's Brett Cumberland was voted Player of the Year, Oregon State catcher Logan Ice was named Defensive Player of the Year, Oregon State infielder Nick Madrigal was Freshman of the Year and Utah coach Bill Kinnenberg was Coach of the Year.
