Full NCBWA All-America Release

AUSTIN, Texas -- Four Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC) baseball standouts have been named to the 2016 National Baseball Writers Association (NCBWA) All America teams released on Thursday.

The NCBWA All-American honorees include 45 individuals divided amongst first, second and third team honors.

Hillsdale senior Luke Ortel, the 2016 GLIAC Player of the Year, earned first team honors after he finished the regular season as the GLIAC champion in batting average, doubles, triples, runs scored, slugging percentage, on-base percentage and at bats. He set nine school records and his 111 hits are the seventh-most in NCAA Division II history in one season.

GVSU's Matt Williams also was selected to the first team as he completed the season with a 4-1 record, tying the NCAA Division II record with 20 saves on the season, and had a 0.84 ERA in 32 relief appearances. He struck out 56 batters in 43.2 innings of work and held opposing hitters to a .123 batting average. Williams moved into second place on GVSU's career saves list, and is just nine saves behind GVSU career leader Brad Zambron, who owns the top spot with 39 career saves. After giving up his first earn run of the season against Ohio Dominican on March 9th, Williams compiled a 34.1 inning scoreless streak across his next 26 appearances. 

The GLIAC contigent on the NCBWA All-America list was rounded out by a pair of third team selections both representing Ashland.

Ashland starting pitcher Brandyn Sittinger, GLIAC Pitcher of the Year, was 11-0 with a 2.23 earned-run average in 14 appearances (13 starts) in 2016. In 88 2/3 innings, he struck out 131 and allowed 65 hits, 27 runs (22 earned) and 40 walks.

Sittinger's fellow Eagle teammate JP Sorma finished 2016 hitting .381 with 17 home runs (second on AU's single-season list), 11 doubles, 51 runs scored and 59 RBIs. He will take a 29-game hitting streak into 2017.