Trio of BW Baseball Players Named ABCA/Rawlings All-Region

Mark Zimmerman, Kyle Chontos and Hunter Handel (Photos Courtesy of Ken Gillissie)

Posted: May 21, 2014

Complete ABCA/Rawlings All-Mideast Region Team (.pdf)

BEREA, OHIO -- Three Baldwin Wallace University baseball players have been named to the 2014 ABCA/Rawlings All-Mideast Region team. The trio was instrumental in BW (29-18) winning its school-record 29th game, first-ever Regional Championship and advancing to its first-ever Division III College World Series appearance. The Yellow Jackets open play at the World Series in Appleton, Wis. on Friday, May 23 versus Emory (Ga.) at 2:15 p.m.

Junior All-Ohio Athletic Conference first baseman Kyle Chontos (Pickerington/ North) was selected to the first-team, sophomore All-OAC second baseman Mark Zimmerman (Akron/ Green) and sophomore All-OAC designated hitter Hunter Handel (Akron/ Green) were both selected to the second-team.

Chontos, who was a first-team All-OAC selection, garners his first first-team and first overall All-Mideast Region accolade. He was selected to the all-tournament team at the Mid-Atlantic Regional where he batted .368 (7-for-19) with one double, six RBI and four runs scored

For the season, Chontos leads the team with a .380 batting average (71-for-187) with 45 runs scored, 18 doubles (ties a school-record), one triple, team-leading totals of five homers and 49 RBI and 11 steals.

Zimmerman, who was a first-team All-OAC pick for the second consecutive season, earns his first second-team and first overall All-Mideast Region honor. He was selected as the Most Valuable Player at last weekend's Mid-Atlantic Regional where he batted a team-high .474 (9-for-19) with a triple, thee RBI and five runs scored. Zimmerman also made one relief appearance on the mound where he allowed one run (unearned) on three hits with a career-best six strikeouts and three walks in four and one-third innings pitched as he picked up the win.

This season, he is tied for second in hitting on the team as he batted .379 (77-for-203) with 49 runs scored, 14 doubles, three triples, three homers, 44 RBI and eight steals.

Handel, who was tabbed as a first-team All-OAC pick, garners his first second-team and first overall All-Mideast Region honor. At the Mid-Atlantic Regional, he batted .333 (4-for-12) with one double, four RBI and two runs scored.

On the season, Handel is fourth on the squad with a .377 batting average (57-for-151) with 26 runs scored, eight doubles, three triples, four homers, 45 RBI and one stolen base.

FOR MORE BW SPORTS INFORMATION, please contact Sports Information Director Kevin Ruple by telephone at 440-826-2327 and e-mail at kruple@bw.edu or Assistant SID Jeff Miller by phone at 440-826-2780 and email at jefmille@bw.edu. Fans can access the latest BW athletics information at www.bwyellowjackets.com and we invite you to join us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/bwyellowjackets and Twitter at http://twitter.com/bwathletics.