SAN BRUNO, Calif. – The West Coast Conference announced its all-conference teams today with five Dons earning conference honors, with
Riley Helland,
Riley Ornido and
Michael Perri earning first-team distinction.
In his senior year, Perri has been an offensive powerhouse for the Dons all season, leading the team in most major categories including batting average (.344), hits (77), doubles (22), home runs (9), RBIs (44) and slugging percentage (.563). His totals in batting average, hits, doubles, total bases and RBIs all rank in the top-three in conference. Perri's 22 doubles ties the USF single season record.
Helland, WCC Rawlings Player of the Week honoree on Apr. 2 and batting in the second hole for most the season, has enjoyed a successful season behind the dish and at-bat. It doesn't show up in the overall statistics, but Helland has worked plate appearances into double digit pitch counts multiple times this season. His batting average (.321), doubles (19), RBIs (34), walks (21) and on-base percentage (.391) all rank second on the team this season.
Amongst the top performances in a solid season for the baseball team has been with sophomore pitcher
Riley Ornido. Ornido began the year as an option out of the bullpen before cementing himself as the go-to Saturday starter for the Dons this season. He leads the pitching staff in ERA (2.65), wins (8), innings pitched (91.2), strike outs (88) and opposing batting average (.182). Ornido went into the eighth innings on multiple occasions, including a game against Saint Mary's where he took a no-hitter into the seventh inning with two outs. For that effort, Ornido earned WCC Rawlings Pitcher of the Week on Apr. 9.
Junior's
Thomas Ponticelli (All-WCC Second-Team) and
Jonathan Allen (All-WCC Honorable Mention) join their teammates in earning all-conference honors. Ponticelli has been the table setter all year for the USF pitching staff, earning six wins as the Friday starter this season. Ponticelli has been the top in the top-two inning thrower for the USF pitching staff, along with being in the top-five for ERA (3.16) and strike outs (72).
Allen, a fellow junior, was the engine that moved the USF offense this season in his first year on the Hilltop. Allen is in the top-five on the team in batting average (.312), hits (69), home runs (7) and RBIs (32).
USF (28-28, 15-12 WCC) will take on Pepperdine on Thursday in their first-round game of the West Coast Conference Tournament at 3 p.m. at Banner Island Ballpark in Stockton, Calif.
2017-18 All-WCC Baseball Major Individual Honors
2018 West Coast Conference Player of the Year: Jordan Qsar, Pepperdine
2018 West Coast Conference Pitcher of the Year: Jonathan Pendergast, Pepperdine
2018 West Coast Conference Freshman of the Year: Cooper Chandler, Pepperdine
2018 West Coast Conference Defensive Player of the Year: Cooper Uhl, Loyola Marymount
2018 West Coast Conference Coach of the Year: Rick Hirtensteiner, Pepperdine
2018 All-WCC Baseball First Team
| Name |
Yr. |
Pos. |
School |
| Daniel Bies |
Jr. |
RHP |
Gonzaga |
| Brock Hale |
Jr. |
OF |
BYU |
| Cody Hawken |
Jr. |
OF |
Portland |
| Riley Helland |
Jr. |
C |
San Francisco |
| Matt Kanfer |
Jr. |
OF |
Pepperdine |
| Casey Legumina |
So. |
RHP |
Gonzaga |
| Riley Ornido |
So. |
RHP |
San Francisco |
| Jonathan Pendergast |
Jr. |
RHP |
Pepperdine |
| Mike Perri |
Sr. |
IF |
San Francisco |
| Jordan Qsar |
Sr. |
OF/RHP |
Pepperdine |
| Jamey Smart |
Sr. |
IF |
Loyola Marymount |
| Ken Waldichuk |
So. |
LHP |
Saint Mary's |
| Jordan Wood |
Sr. |
RHP |
BYU |
2018 All-WCC Baseball Second Team
| Name |
Yr. |
Pos. |
School |
| Jake Brodt |
Sr. |
IF |
Santa Clara |
| Beau Brundage |
So. |
OF |
Portland |
| Cooper Chandler |
Fr. |
RHP |
Pepperdine |
| Adam Kerner |
Fr. |
C |
San Diego |
| Mac Lardner |
So. |
LHP |
Gonzaga |
| Quincy McAfee |
So. |
IF |
Pepperdine |
| Shane McGuire |
Fr. |
IF |
San Diego |
| Kevin Milam |
So. |
DH/RHP |
Saint Mary's |
| Thomas Ponticelli |
Jr. |
RHP |
San Francisco |
| Nick Sogard |
So. |
IF |
Loyola Marymount |
| Jackson Thoreson |
Sr. |
C |
Saint Mary's |
| Cooper Uhl |
So. |
C |
Loyola Marymount |
| Ernie Yake |
Fr. |
IF |
Gonzaga |
2018 WCC Baseball Honorable Mention
Jon Allen, San Francisco; Joe Becht, Santa Clara; Tyler Cohen, Loyola Marymount; Joey Fiske, Saint Mary's; Nick Frasso, Loyola Marymount; James Free, Pacific; Alek Jacob, Gonzaga; Connor Knutson, Portland; Shelby Lackey, Pacific; Alex LeForestier, Pacific; Ty Madrigal, Saint Mary's; Chris Murphy, San Diego; Niko Pacheco, Loyola Marymount; Billy Wilson, Loyola Marymount; Steven Wilson, Santa Clara;
2018 All-WCC Baseball Freshman Team
| Name |
Pos. |
School |
| Brandt Belk |
IF/OF |
Pepperdine |
| Cooper Chandler |
RHP |
Pepperdine |
| Nick Frasso |
RHP |
Loyola Marymount |
| Alek Jacob |
RHP |
Gonzaga |
| Adam Kerner |
C |
San Diego |
| Alex LeForestier |
IF |
Pacific |
| Shane McGuire |
IF |
San Diego |
| Eli Morse |
RHP |
Portland |
| Tora Otsuka |
OF |
San Diego |
| Ernie Yake |
IF |
Gonzaga |
