IAC BASEBALL: WAVERLY PUTS SIX ON SOUTH'S LARGE SCHOOL FIRST TEAM, THREE ON SECOND TEAM (2023-05-23)

Valley Sports Report
THE VALLEY — To the victors, go the spoils.

In its last season in the IAC, Waverly won the IAC South Large School Division title, the overall IAC Large School title, and had nine players selected to the divisional all-star teams, including six first-teamers, in recent voting by the division’s coaches.

Senior Ty Beeman and Bryce Bailey, juniors Jay Pipher, Joey Tomasso, and Sean Bubniak, and 8th-grader Matthias Welles earned first-team nods, while junior Jake VanHouten, and freshmen Ronin Ault and Hogan Shaw were second-team selections.

FIRST TEAM
Joey Tomasso, junior, Waverly: A slick-fielding shortstop, Tomasso broke out at the plate this season. He hit .444 (28 hits in 63 at-bats), had a .519 on-base percentage, and a 1.202 OPS. He also had eight doubled, two triples, one home run, 22 RBI, 26 runs scored, and was 10-for-10 in stolen base attempts.

Defensively, Tomasso had two errors in 68 total chances for a .971 fielding percentage, and was involved in turning seven double plays.

Jay Pipher, junior, Waverly: A slick-fielding second baseman, Pipher was among the batting leaders in the region. He hit .476 (30 hits in 63 ABs), had a 573 on-base percentage, and a 1.319 OPS. He had two doubles, six triples, one home run, 26 RBI, 33 run scored, and 11 stolen bases.

On the mound, Piper was 3-3 with a 2.90 ERA. He fanned 28 and walked 16, while allowing just 28 hits in 29 innings pitched.

Ty Beeman, senior, Waverly: A wall behind the plate with a strong arm, Beeman was a valuable two-way performer for the Wolverines. He hit .349 (22 hits in 63 ABs) with eight doubles, 23 RBI, 18 runs scored, and four stolen bases.

Defensively, Beeman did not commit an error in 100 defensive chances, and threw out six of 15 would-be base stealers.

On the mound, he was 5-0 with a 1.35 ERA. He struck out 33 and walked 16, while allowing 14 hits in 26 innings.

Bryce Bailey, senior, Waverly: Bailey had a knack for getting on base, whether it was via a base hit, a base on balls, or getting hit by a pitch, which he did 14 times in 70 plate appearances.

Bailey hit .444 (20 hits in 45 at-bats) with a .629 on-base percentage, and a 1.229 OPS. He had five doubles, one triple, 18 RBI, 20 runs scored, and five stolen bases.

Sean Bubniak, junior, Waverly: Bubniak made a tremendous impact for the Wolverines in his first varsity season, especially on the mound, where he was 5-0 with a 1.36 ERA. He fanned 38, walked 11, and allowed just 22 hits in a team-high 36 innings pitched.

Bubniak hit .255 (13 hits in 51 ABs), with seven doubles, 17 RBI, and 12 runs scored.

Matthias Welles, 8th-grader, Waverly: Welles made an instant impact with his bat for the Wolverines. He hit .367 (22 hits in 60 ABs), had a .465 on-base percentage,  and a 1.009 OPS. He had one double, three home runs, 24 RBI, 16 runs scored, and one stolen base.

The remainder of the first team is: Senior Daniel Lewis, Alex Holmes, Brady Cannon, Ben Height — Schuyler; senior Cody Sayre, senior Kameron Smith, senior Hunter Harmon — SVEC; and sophomore Luke Richards, and junior Logan Meisner — Notre Dame.

SECOND TEAM
Jake VanHouten, junior, Waverly: VanHouten hit .364 (20 hits in 55 ABs) in his first varsity season, had a .444 on-base percentage, and a .954 OPS. He had four doubles, two triples, 12 RBI, 22 runs scored, and six stolen bases.

Hogan Shaw, freshman, Waverly: Shaw hit .351 (13 hits in 37 ABs) in his first varsity campaign, with one triple, 11 RBI, 10 runs scored, and three stolen bases.

Ronin Ault, freshman, Waverly: Ault made an impact at the plate, and on the mound in his first varsity season for the Wolverines. He hit .283 (13 hits in 46 ABs), with three doubles, 7 RBI, 16 runs scored, and three stolen bases.

On the mound, Ault was 2-0 with a 1.87 ERA. He fanned 23 and walked eight, while allowing 11 hits in 15 innings pitched.

The remainder of the second team is: Sophomore Cameron Sinn — SVEC.