Lexington, Ky. – A landmark season for the Transylvania baseball team has continued to its postseason hardware circuit as the Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference on Monday named senior Jake Schmidt Pitcher of the Year, freshman Trent Youngblood Newcomer of the Year, and Pioneer head coach Zack Getsee the HCAC Coach of the Year.
Schmidt and Youngblood each claimed All-HCAC First Team honors for the 2021 season, joining seniors Riley Willbur and Hudson Chastain on the All-HCAC First Team.
Seniors Michael Blair and Nick Wade were chosen to the All-Conference Second Team and senior Wade Lopiccolo was named Honorable Mention, punctuating the best season for the Pioneers in over a decade.
Transylvania won its first HCAC regular season championship since 2007 with a 26-10 overall record and captured the HCAC Tournament title on Saturday, winning five straight games which culminated with an 11-2 victory over Earlham in Saturday afternoon's HCAC Championship game.
In claiming both the HCAC regular season and tournament crowns, the Pioneers furnished three major conference award winners for the first time in the five-year era under Getsee, including the head coach's first career coach of the year accolades.
Schmidt, a pitcher from Dublin, Ohio (Dublin Scioto HS) was unflappable on the mound in his final campaign for the Pioneers. The senior made 13 appearances and 11 starts in 38 regular season games for Transylvania, recording a perfect 7-0 record on the mound with one save in regular-season play and 8-0 including the HCAC Tournament. Schmidt pitched 67.1 innings this season and led the conference in strikeouts, ringing up 88 batters this year. Schmidt currently ranks 12th in the nation in total strikeouts entering the NCAA Tournament.
The senior set a new career-best for strikeouts in a game on April 2 versus Hanover with 11 strikeouts over seven innings. Schmidt also led the conference in wins and fewest losses amongst everyday pitchers, ranked second in earned-run average (2.54 ERA), and was third in fewest earned runs allowed (19). Schmidt was a two time HCAC Pitcher of the Week during the 2021 season.
In three starts this season, Schmidt did not allow an earned run; he struck out seven or more batters in nine games. His 11.8 strikeouts per nine innings currently ranks second on the Pioneer all-time single-season list, trailing only his rate from his freshman season of 2018. Schmidt's eight wins currently ties for second on the program list for most single-season wins and his 88 strikeouts ranks third among Pioneers past for single-season strikeouts.
Of the 13 games Schmidt appeared in this season, the Pioneers went 12-1 in those contests. Schmidt was also named to the HCAC All-Tournament Team by leading the Pioneers to a tournament-opening 20-3 win over Bluffton; Schmidt dealt seven innings, striking out four batters and allowing one earned run in the lockdown performance.
Youngblood, an outfielder/pitcher from Louisville, Kentucky (Trinity HS) burst onto the Division III baseball scene like few others have in the 2021 season, tallying 70 hits through the end of the HCAC Tournament. Youngblood already stands number two all-time for most hits by a Pioneer player in a season, trailing only his teammate Chastain this season. Youngblood ranked second in the HCAC in hits, third in the HCAC in batting average (.419), third in runs (57), sixth in on-base percentage (.495), and tied for fourth in triples with three. Youngblood led the Pioneers in stolen bases with 17 bags, tying for eighth in the conference.
Youngblood had 24 multi-hit games this season, highlighted by when he hit for the cycle on April 27 at Franklin. He had nine games this season in which he registered three hits or more. In the HCAC Tournament opener against Bluffton, Youngblood went a career-best 5 for 7 at the plate with a double and two RBI. The freshman ranked second on the team in doubles with 12, second in walks with 22, and totaled 24 runs batted in this season.
Amongst everyday starters, Youngblood led the Pioneers with a 1.040 OPS and was second on the team in slugging percentage (.545). Youngblood further illustrated his versatility by making seven appearances on the mound this season, accruing a 3-2 win-loss record and tallying a 3.24 ERA. Youngblood worked 16.2 total innings, striking out 22 batters while recording the lowest WHIP rate on the team of any Pioneer who pitched 15 innings or more.
In his fifth year at the helm of the Transylvania baseball program, Getsee oversaw a record-breaking year for the Pioneers on several fronts. Under Getsee, the Pioneers matched their record for most wins in a season with a 31-10 overall record including the HCAC Tournament. Competing in a conference-only schedule for the 2021 season, the Pioneers obtained their first regular season crown since the 2007 season and their first conference tournament championship since 2008. The 2021 season marks the first time in program history the Pioneers have won both the regular season and tournament championships in the same season.
Under Getsee's direction, the Pioneers crafted a championship-caliber program and an offensive machine which ranked 13th in the nation in batting average (.346), 16th nationally in runs per game (9.7 runs), 32nd in on-base percentage (.429), and 40th in slugging percentage (.497).
Getsee fielded a team which ranked first in the HCAC in runs (397), hits (515), runs batted in (350), total bases (740), slugging percentage, fielding percentage (.955), opponent batting average (.256), fewest earned runs (189), and fewest times striking out. The Pioneers scored double-digit runs in 20 games this season, including in all three of their final HCAC Tournament games.
Chastain, an infielder from Knoxville, Tennessee (Christian Academy of Knoxville), authored a final season in a career which stands toe-to-toe with past greats of Transylvania baseball history. The senior led the conference for the second straight full season in hits, obliterating his program record for single-season hits previously set in 2019 with 79 this season.
Chastain led the HCAC in batting average with a .446 average and ranked third in on-base percentage with a .510 figure. Chastain ranks third in the nation in hits and 34th in the country in batting average.
The second baseman was fifth in the HCAC in runs scored, crossing the plate 48 times. Chastain matched Youngblood with three triples this season to finish top-7 in the conference in triples. Chastain started and appeared in all 41 games this season, putting together a 19-game hitting streak beginning with the third game of the season. He completed his 41-game ledger on a 13-game hitting streak.
Chastain had 21 games this season with multiple hits. The senior had four games this season with four hits or more, culminating with a career-high 5 for 5 performance at bat with a walk in the championship-clinching win against Earlham on May 22. Chastain's tournament run garnered the senior HCAC Tournament Most Outstanding Player honors.
The senior was second on the Pioneers in RBI with 42, tied for second on the team in total bases with 91, fourth on the team in slugging percentage (.514), and fourth on the team in walks (21). The infielder added six doubles this season.
Willbur, a senior from Louisville, Kentucky (Trinity HS), surged again as one of the league's most fearsome sluggers in his fifth season with the Pioneers. The senior led the Pioneers in home runs with eight, ranking eighth in the HCAC. Willbur was third in the conference and led Transy in RBI (47), ranked seventh in conference in slugging percentage (.574), fourth in runs scored (54), and tied for sixth in the HCAC and third on the Pioneers in hits (57). Willbur's 47 RBI is third-most by a Pioneer in a single season.
Willbur was third on the Pioneers in OPS (1.020) and led the team in walks with 30, which also ties the program record for single-season walks. His 30 walks ranked fifth in the HCAC. Willbur was second on the team in doubles with 12 and added two triples on the season. The senior's all-around capabilities were further illustrated with his 11 stolen bases, which ranked second on the Pioneers. Willbur led the Pioneers in total bases with 97 on the year. Willbur's .446 on-base percentage ranked third on the team. Willbur joined Chastain as the lone Pioneers to start in every single game this season for Transylvania. Â
Willbur tied an NCAA single-game record for most walks drawn on April 4 at Rose-Hulman. Willbur drew six walks in six at-bats, eventually leading to three runs of his own in a 15-10 win for the Pioneers.
Blair, a senior from Louisville, Kentucky (Trinity HS), was a foundational cornerstone of the Pioneers, ranking fourth on the team in on-base percentage at .436. Blair started 39 of 40 games for Transylvania, leading the team in doubles with 13, and tied for second on the team in extra-base hits with 16. The first baseman was second on the team in walks (22), fifth on the team in batting average (.342), fifth on the Pioneers in hits (50), fifth on the team in RBI (35), seventh on the team in slugging percentage (.493), sixth on the team in runs (37).
Blair had a career-high four hits on March 13 against Manchester, going 4 for 4 at the plate with four RBI and a double. The senior had 13 games with multiple hits this season.
Wade, a senior from Cincinnati, Ohio, had a breakout season for the Pioneers, finishing fourth on the team in batting average (.356) and tabulating 42 hits. Wade was fourth on the team in RBI with 38 and delivered a .508 slugging percentage along with a .431 on-base percentage, the latter ranking fifth on the team.
Wade went a career-best 4 for 5 at bat on April 4 at Rose-Hulman with a home run, a double, and two RBI to unequivocally establish his role as an offensive presence. In the HCAC Tournament win over Bluffton, Wade delivered a career-high five RBI off a double and a triple. Wade scored 27 runs, drew 14 walks, smacked three home runs, seven doubles, and one triple.
Lopiccolo, a senior from Franklin, Tennessee (Summit HS), was a key component of Transylvania's championship equation, standing third on the team in batting average (.357) and starting in 39 of 40 games. The third baseman was fourth on the team in total bases (80) and fourth on the team in hits (56). Lopiccolo had 14 extra-base hits, including four home runs and eight doubles. Lopiccolo had a .420 on-base percentage and a .510 slugging percentage. The senior led the HCAC in sacrifice flies (8) and sacrifice bunts (7).
After winning the conference crowns, the Pioneers now look ahead to their first NCAA Tournament appearance in 13 years as they compete in the regional round of the 2021 NCAA Division III Championships in Decatur, Illinois beginning Thursday, May 27 with an opening game against Webster University at 3:30 p.m. Eastern time.
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