Central Michigan University Athletics
Baseball Program Hands Out Awards
5/27/2015 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
Andy Sneddon, CMUChippewas.com
MOUNT PLEASANT, Mich. -- Senior Pat MacKenzie was named the Most Valuable Player, team captain and received the Chippewa Award Tuesday at the Central Michigan baseball team's annual awards banquet.
MacKenzie and Sean Renzi were named co-recipients of the Kevin J. Young Memorial Endowment Award, while Joe Houlihan received the Most Improved Player Award.
Academic awards were also handed out Alec Ornelas, Daniel Jipping and Ryan Heeke.
MacKenzie, started all 57 of CMU's games at second base, earning First Team All-Mid American Conference honors and helping lead the Chippewas to their first regular-season MAC championship since 2010. He was also named to the MAC All-Defensive Team.
MacKenzie led the Chippewas in batting average (.348), on-base percentage (.489), runs (60), hits (72), walks (51) and stolen bases (24). He ranked fourth in the MAC in batting average and led the conference in on-base percentage, walks and runs. His walk total ranked seventh nationally.
MacKenzie compiled a .981 fielding percentage, making just six errors in 309 chances.
The Chippewa Award is presented to the player who best represents the program's mission statement.
Renzi, a junior right-hander, spent the first half of the season in the bullpen, then moved into the starting rotation and compiled a 5-2 record with a team-best 2.33 earned run average and two saves.
He made 18 appearances, seven of them starts, logging 65 2/3 innings. He led CMU with 60 strikeouts while walking 31. He did not allow a home run and held opposing hitters to a .187 batting average. He earned All-MAC First Team honors.
Houlihan, a junior third baseman, hit .265 and ranked second on the team with five home runs after redshirting during the 2014 season. He also drove in 35 runs.
Houlihan made nine errors in 162 chances for a .944 defensive percentage and earned a spot on the MAC All-Defensive squad.
The most valuable and most improved awards along with the captainship is determined by a vote of the players. The Chippewa and Young Memorial award winners are selected by coach Steve Jaksa and his staff.
Ornelas, Jipping and Heeke were recognized for their respective grade point averages. Ornelas, who carries a 3.83, recorded the highest GPA among the seniors on the team; Heeke, at 3.85, the highest among non-seniors with at least five semesters at CMU; and Jipping, 3.90, topped the freshmen.
