Wittenberg Baseball Announces 2022 Team Awards
Most Valuable Player: (JR/INF) Chase Whisner
Junior Chase Whisner was chosen as the 2022 Most Valuable Player. Playing in all 39 games, Whisner led the team in multiple offensive categories, including at-bats (158), runs (41) and hits (58). Hitting an impressive .367 on the season, Chase was a catalyst for the Tiger lineup, adding eight doubles, one triple, and four homeruns. He also tallied seven stolen bases during the season. All while playing the demanding shortstop position on defense and leading the team with 103 defensive assists. This earned Whisner a spot on the All-NCAC Second Team for the season.
Pitcher of the Year: (SO/RHP) Austin Luther
A breakout season for sophomore right-hander Austin Luther who was named Pitcher of the Year for the 2022 season. Luther threw a team-leading 67.2 innings while only allowing 48 hits. The right-hander had a record of 5-1 and a ERA of 2.79. His 63 strikeouts also led the pitching staff as well as throwing two complete games. Luther who was honored as an All-NCAC First Team pitcher, collecting D3Baseball.com Third Team All-Region honors. Luther was also honored twice during the season as NCAC Athlete of the Week for two dominant performances on the hill in pivotal Tiger wins.
Rookie of the Year: (FR/RHP) Charlie Schafer
The 2022 Rookie of the Year goes to RHP Charlie Schafer. Schafer made an immediate impact for the Tigers on the mound. Throwing primarily out of the bullpen, Schafer made 11 appearances throwing 28 innings and racking up four wins and two saves. In Schafer's 28 innings he only allowed 25 hits and 7 earned runs for an ERA of 2.25 for the season. He also struck out 20 on his way to a very successful freshman season for the Tigers.
Red Mauer Award: Darren Himsworth/Jack Siefert
Coach Darren Himsworth spent 6 seasons as a loyal assistant coach and ambassador for the Wittenberg Baseball program. Coach Himsworth was a part of Coach McGee's first staff when arriving on campus for the 2017 season as a volunteer assistant. As the years went by he would grow into and take on the role of full-time head assistant coach/recruiting coordinator before stepping away from the program after the record breaking 2022 season. His countless hours spent giving back to the program and helping build the program to the level it is at today is much attributed to his passion, knowledge, and commitment to not only the university and the baseball program, but most importantly to the players whom he coached. Coach "Himmy" will be remembered as a person of high integrity, character, and professionalism and one who loved his players dearly.
Jack Siefert the 2022 Red Mauer Award winner had a distinguished career for the Tigers, both on and off the field. On the field, Siefert found his home at first base for the Tigers, where he would man that position for five straight seasons. In the 2022 season, Siefert hit .336 with a team-leading six homeruns, 10 doubles and 38 RBI, adding an exclamation point to his historic career. In Jack's career he was hit by more pitches than any other Wittenberg player ever (28), recorded the most put outs in history (996), finished 2nd in Homeruns (22), 5th in doubles (39), 5th in career total bases (271), and 9th in all-time hits with (166). For his high-level of play on the field, Siefert was named Wittenberg Rookie of the Year in 2018, twice an All-NCAC honoree (2019 & 2022), making the all-tournament team in 2022. Siefert was just as successful off the field as he was on the field, graduating summa cum laude with a double-major in Entrepreneurship and Sports Management. He finished with all A's in every semester except for one scoring a final cumulative GPA of 3.96. Siefert elected to attend graduate school and return for his 5th year on the baseball team, graduating with a Master of Science in Analytics and a 3.98 GPA. Outside of baseball and the classroom, Siefert was very active around campus. He had been named president of the Academy for Entrepreneurs, was one of the founders of the Tiger Fuel (smoothie shop), and a member of the CABLE (Communication and Business Leaders Experience) program. For his performances on and off the field Jack was twice named team captain, and also recognized by receiving a scholar athlete award in 2022. Siefert will be remembered for not the dominate player he was, but more for the exceptional person, leader, and teammate he was having completely embodied what it truly means to Tiger Up!