Post-season merit continue to flow for McKendree University baseball as sophomore outfielder/designated hitter Joseph Copeland and senior infielder Alex Steinbach each tacked on another Midwest Region honor with both being named an Honorable Mention by the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association (NCBWA) on Friday morning. The distinction comes after Copeland and Steinbach were both named to the D2CCA All-Midwest Region second team on Wednesday morning (release). The honors garnered mark Copeland's third set of the spring and Steinbach's second.
Midwest Region Honorable Mention - Joseph Copeland | SO. | UTILITY (Non-Pitcher) | Glen Carbon, Ill. | Edwardsville
The sophomore outfielder/designated hitter earned his third post-season honor with the NCWBA All-Midwest Region selection, adding onto his All-GLVC second team (DH) following the regular season and his D2CCA All-Midwest Region second team. Copeland, a product of Edwardsville, provided a major spark to an already potent starting lineup, taking over a designated hitter and outfielder role after an injury provided the opportunity. The sophomore came in and started blasting home runs, totaling 15 in 42 games, which was good for second on the Bearcats this spring. Copeland was second on the team in hitting with a .340 average, 1.113 OPS, .713 slugging percentage while collecting 51 hits and 26 extra-base knocks. The Glen Carbon, Illinois-native also amassed 15 multi-hit games with three multi-HR outings, 10 multi-RBI games, a 12-game reached base streak, and put up an eight-game hitting streak. The outfielder-DH combo ranked nationally in both home runs (t-50th, 15) and home runs per game (31st, .36 - 15HR/42G) as of May 15, 2022.Copeland concluded his second full season with McKendree with the end of the 2022 spring, playing in 42 games while starting 40 contests, out-doing his previous career marks in the process.
Midwest Region Honorable Mention - Alex Steinbach | SR. | THIRD BASE | Plainfield, Ill. | Plainfield North
Steinbach added his second postseason honor of 2022 with his Midwest Region honorable mention (NCBWA) after earning a D2CCA Midwest Region second team selection earlier in the week. The Plainfield North-product added to a powerful offense and became a staple in the lineup after transferring to McKendree in the fall, leading the team with 18 home runs this spring and earning one of two GLVC Player of the Week awards (4/4/22). His league player of the week honors were highlighted by a five-home run series where he batted .600 with an OPS of 2.467 an a slugging percentage of 1.800, amassing 27 bases, nine runs, and six RBIs. On the year, Steinbach led McKendree with a 1.213 OPS and .769 slugging percentage while batting at a .327 clip. He bashed 28 extra-base hits with 48 total knocks, 46 runs scored, and 41 RBIs. In the nation (NCAA DII), Steinbach ranked 17th in homers per game (.40), t-22nd in total home runs (18), and 24th in slugging at .769, as of games through May 15. In the GLVC, Steinbach currently ranks third in slugging while ranking second in total homers.
2022 SEASON
The Bearcats set program marks this season with the third-most wins in its NCAA DII era, while they snapped the single-season home run record with 95 in 2022. The previous mark was 93, set in 2000 and 2009. McKendree also put up its most successful GLVC season, going 15-13, which marked its first season at .500-or-better since joining the league in 2013.
McKendree ended its last stretch of the spring with a 3-1 series win over Southwest Baptist in Bolivar, a 2-2 split with William Jewell at home, and a 3-1 series win over Lindenwood in St. Charles. The 8-4 stretch positioned the Bearcats for a possible first-ever berth into the GLVC tournament but after tiebreakers fell in the wrong direction, William Jewell took the fourth and final position in the postseason tournament.
UP NEXT
McKendree baseball will be back and reloaded for fall off-season camp in September, getting back to regular season action in February 2023.
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