May 12, 2009

CEDAR RAPIDS, IOWA . . . The Iowa Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (IIAC) announced today that Wartburg College senior pitcher Jerrold Martijn (Orangestad, Aruba/Kirkwood CC) has been named the 2009 IIAC Baseball Pitcher of the Year, Loras College senior shortstop Nick Olberding (Dyersville, Iowa/Beckman) has been named the 2009 IIAC Baseball Position Player of the Year and Loras head coach Carl Tebon has been named the 2009 IIAC Baseball Coach of the Year.

Martijn, last year’s Iowa Conference Position Player of the Year, enters the NCAA Tournament with a 10-1 record, a 3.51 earned run average, and 85 strikeouts in 82.0 innings pitched. He made 12 appearances with six complete games, including two in the Iowa Conference Tournament. He led the Iowa Conference in innings pitched, strikeouts, pitching wins, and batters struck out looking (33), ranked second in opposing batting average (.233), and third in ERA. In seven Conference starts, Martijn posted a 5-1 mark with a 4.51 ERA, 42 strikeouts and two complete games in 41.0 innings pitched. He ranked second in league play in strikeouts, third in opposing batting average (.256) and wins, and eighth in ERA.

In the Iowa Conference tournament, Martijn opened Wartburg’s tournament run with a complete-game win over Buena Vista, then came back on one day’s rest to defeat Luther in an elimination game and set up the winner-take-all finale with the Norse won by the Knights. He struck out 20 batters in 18.0 innings pitched.

Also one of Wartburg’s top hitters, Martijn hit .357 with eight doubles, a triple, two home runs, and 24 RBI in 37 games. He also drew 11 walks, was hit by four pitches, and stole four bases. He ranked second among Iowa Conference players with six sacrifice bunts.

Olberding was Loras’ leading hitter as the Duhawks made their title run, hitting .407 with 61 hits, 10 doubles, six home runs, and 44 RBI while starting all 39 games. He ranked third in RBI and home runs, seventh in batting average, hits, and runs scored (43), eighth in slugging percentage (.593) and total bases (89), and 10th in on-base percentage (.474). In 22 conference games, Olberding hit .500 with 45 hits, four doubles, six home runs, 31 runs scored, and 30 RBI. He led the league in runs scored, hits, RBI, home runs, total bases (67), and ranked second in batting average, slugging percentage (.744), on-base percentage (.535),

Also an effective closer for the Duhawks, Olberding recorded four saves with an 0-1 record, a 9.00 ERA and two strikeouts in six appearances. Two of his saves came in league play.

Tebon guided Loras to its first Iowa Conference baseball title since 1952. The Duhawks finished Conference play tied with Luther atop the standings with a 15-7 record and earned the top seed in the IIAC Tournament, where they finished 0-2. Loras led the league with a .344 batting average, a .507 slugging percentage, and a .415 on-base percentage.

The IIAC also announced today the 2009 Baseball All-Conference Team. The 33-member Team includes 11 repeat All-Conference performers including Luther College senior Adam Kohls, who receives All-Conference accolades for the fourth time, and Simpson College senior Cory Dawson and Luther College senior Jake Waddle, who have been honored for the third time. IIAC regular season co-champion Loras and third-place finisher Coe each had an IIAC-best six All-Conference performers, with three players from each school landing on the First Team. Luther, the other regular season co-champion, was next on the list, tied with Central at five All-Conference selections.

The complete 2009 IIAC Baseball All-Conference Team can be found by clicking here.

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