Senior catcher Chaz Poppy and senior outfielder Kirk Woolf topped the list of University of Arkansas at Monticello baseball players to receive all-conference recognition on Thursday.
Poppy and Woolf were both named to the All-GAC First Team when the Great American Conference released its all-conference honorees in advance of the GAC baseball tournament, which began Thursday.
Both were also named to the GAC All-Defensive Team, where they were joined by teammates Cade Cancilla, a senior first baseman, and Roc Hawthorne, a senior outfielder. With Woolf and Hawthorne, two of the three outfielders on the all-defensive team are Boll Weevils.
Poppy leads UAM with a .391 batting average and 53 RBI. He has the best on base percentage in the GAC, .495. Defensively, he has caught 12 runners stealing, second best in the GAC. Woolf has hit .341 this season and leads the GAC in walks, 40, and triples, six.
Cancilla has turned 33 double plays, tied for the most in the league. He leads UAM with 287 catches and 269 putouts and hasn’t committed an error all season. Hawthorne has contributed 105 catches and 97 put outs with two errors.
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UAM also placed four players on the All-GAC Second Team. Two of the four starting pitchers on the second team were Boll Weevils: seniors Connor Irvine and Maxim Mrakovcic. Senior third baseman Justin Santoyo and sophomore designated hitter Cam Tanner also made the second team.
Senior relief pitcher Nelson Mercado was the lone Weevil named All-GAC Honorable Mention.
No. 3-seed UAM (30-19, 21-12 GAC) began its GAC tournament run late Thursday against No. 6 seed Henderson State (28-20, 20-13). The Boll Weevils are the tournament’s reigning champions.
GAC baseball tournament
Thursday’s games
Bracket 1, Game 1: (4) Harding 11, (5) Ouachita Baptist 1
Bracket 1, Game 2: (1) Arkansas Tech 19, (8) SE Oklahoma State 5
Bracket 2, Game 1: (2) Southern Arkansas 3, (7) NW Oklahoma State 1
Bracket 2, Game 2: (3) UA-Monticello vs. (6) Henderson State, late
Friday’s games
Bracket 1, Game 3: (5) Ouachita Baptist vs. (8) SE Oklahoma State 9:30 a.m.
Bracket 2, Game 3: (7) NW Oklahoma State vs. Game 2 loser, 1 p.m.
Bracket 1, Game 4: (4) Harding vs. (1) Arkansas Tech, 4:30 p.m.
Bracket 2, Game 4: (2) Southern Arkansas vs. Game 2 winner, 8 p.m.
Saturday’s games
Bracket 1, Game 5: Game 3 winner vs. Game 4 loser, 9:30 a.m.
Bracket 2, Game 5: Game 3 winner vs. Game 4 loser, 1 p.m.
Bracket 1, Game 6: Game 4 winner vs. Game 5 winner, 4:30 p.m.
Bracket 2, Game 6: Game 4 winner vs. Game 5 winner, 8 p.m.
Sunday’s games (if necessary)
Bracket 1, Game 7: Game 4 winner vs. Game 5 winner, TBD
Bracket 2, Game 7: Game 4 winner vs. Game 5 winner, TBD
Championship series at top remaining seed, May 9-11
GAC baseball tournamentThursday’s gamesBracket 1, Game 1: (4) Harding 11, (5) Ouachita Baptist 1Bracket 1, Game 2: (1) Arkansas Tech 19, (8) SE Oklahoma State 5Bracket 2, Game 1: (2) Southern Arkansas 3, (7) NW Oklahoma State 1Bracket 2, Game 2: (3) UA-Monticello vs. (6) Henderson State, lateFriday’s gamesBracket 1, Game 3: (5) Ouachita Baptist vs. (8) SE Oklahoma State 9:30 a.m.Bracket 2, Game 3: (7) NW Oklahoma State vs. Game 2 loser, 1 p.m.Bracket 1, Game 4: (4) Harding vs. (1) Arkansas Tech, 4:30 p.m.Bracket 2, Game 4: (2) Southern Arkansas vs. Game 2 winner, 8 p.m.Saturday’s gamesBracket 1, Game 5: Game 3 winner vs. Game 4 loser, 9:30 a.m.Bracket 2, Game 5: Game 3 winner vs. Game 4 loser, 1 p.m.Bracket 1, Game 6: Game 4 winner vs. Game 5 winner, 4:30 p.m.Bracket 2, Game 6: Game 4 winner vs. Game 5 winner, 8 p.m.Sunday’s games (if necessary)Bracket 1, Game 7: Game 4 winner vs. Game 5 winner, TBDBracket 2, Game 7: Game 4 winner vs. Game 5 winner, TBDChampionship series at top remaining seed, May 9-11