May 18, 2005

CEDAR RAPIDS, IOWA . . . The Iowa Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (IIAC) announced today that Wartburg College junior pitcher Matt Scherbring (Manchester, Iowa/West Delaware) was named 2005 IIAC Baseball Most Valuable Player, and Central College head coach Adam Stevens and Wartburg head coach Joel Holst were named 2005 IIAC Baseball co-Coaches of the Year.

Scherbring enters the NCAA Tournament with a 10-1 record, a 2.71 earned run average, 52 strikeouts and eight complete games in 13 appearances. He has walked just 24, allowed 65 hits and surrendered just 34 runs (26 earned) in 86.1 innings. With his victory in the Championship game of the IIAC Tournament, he became the first Knight pitcher to win 10 games in a season since Chris Goerdt went 10-2 in 2001. Scherbring led the IIAC in innings pitched, wins and tied for the most starts (13). He ranked second in opponents’ batting average (.212), third in ERA and sixth in strikeouts.

In Conference-play, Scherbring started, completed and won all five of his appearance. He surrendered just 22 hits, 11 runs, six earned (1.54 ERA) and walked eight in 35 innings while striking out 19. Opponents hit just .180 in the five games. He led the IIAC in ERA and tied for the lead in wins, ranked second in opponents’ batting average, seventh in innings pitched and tied for 11th in strikeouts.

Stevens was chosen Coach of the Year after leading the Dutch to its second straight 20-win season, marking the first time in school history the team has won 20 or more games in consecutive years. Central finished the season with a 21-18 overall record, winning 13 of its final 16 games including their final 10 Conference games after starting IIAC play 0-6. The 10-6 Conference record was good for a second-place tie, Central’s highest finish since finishing second in 1986.

Holst was chosen Coach of the Year for the seventh time in the past nine years after leading the Knights to their ninth straight Iowa Conference title and their eighth NCAA postseason berth in the last nine years. Wartburg enters the NCAA Tournament with a 31-9 overall record, its third straight 30-win season and eighth in the last nine years. Its 14-2 Conference record is the best in the IIAC since Wartburg went 20-2 in 2001.

The IIAC also announced today the 2005 baseball All-Conference Team. The 28-member Team includes 11 previous All-Conference selections including two three-time honorees. Conference Champion Wartburg has a League-high seven All-Conference performers. Conference runner-up Central had five All-Conference performers including a League-high three First Team selections.

The complete 2005 IIAC All-Conference Baseball Team is here.

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