LC’s LaBrie, R-MC’s Hedrick Head ODAC Baseball Awards

VWC’s Bulman, R-MC’s Mendenhall Share Pitcher, Rookie Honors

May 7, 2008

SALEM, Va. --- A strong combination of new and old talent headlines the 2008 All-ODAC Baseball Team awards selected by the league’s coaches at their annual meeting earlier this week.  Lynchburg College senior shortstop, Ronnie LaBrie, was named the ODAC’s Player of the Year while Randolph-Macon College head coach, Ray Hedrick, earned his first conference Coach of the Year award.  Washington and Lee University senior outfielder, James Madden, was tabbed the ODAC/Farm Bureau Scholar-Athlete of the Year in a vote of the league’s sports information directors.

The top pitcher and rookie accolades were split amongst a pair of right-handed newcomers, the first freshmen to win the ODAC’s pitcher of the year honor.  Virginia Wesleyan College’s Gary Bulman and Randolph-Macon’s Byron Mendenhall were deadlocked in voting for both awards, lending to co-pitchers and co-rookies of the year.

LaBrie, from Vinton, Virginia, finished the season second in the conference in batting with a .436 average (post-tournament totals).  He ended the year tops in five other major categories including hits (71), runs (56), on-base percentage (.532), slugging percentage (.718) and stolen bases (28 in 35 attempts).  He also recorded 136 assists, best in the league.  LaBrie collected 29 extra base hits (18 doubles, six homers, five triples), helping him to an ODAC-high 117 total bases.  He hit safely in 37 of 41 games played with 20 multi-hit outings.

Bulman, from Chesapeake, Virginia, compiled an 8-0 overall record to tie for the league-high in victories.  In 11 appearances (10 starts), he fanned 54 batters in 59.1 innings while giving up only 40 hits and 14 earned runs for a conference second-best 2.12 earned run average.  He struck out 10 or more batters twice including a 12-punchout performance against Eastern Mennonite University that broke the Virginia Wesleyan record for strikeouts in a single game.

Mendenhall, from Falls Church, Virginia, finished second in the ODAC with a 1.68 earned run average.  He put together a 7-0 record, good enough for third in the league in wins.  In 12 appearances (10 starts), Mendenhall worked 64.1 innings while giving up only 52 hits and whiffing 68 batters, the fourth-highest strikeout total in the league.  For his play the week prior to April 14, Mendenhall was named the pitcher of the week by the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association (NCBWA).

Madden, from Dallas, Texas, is the second General to win baseball’s scholar-athlete award in as many years.  He boasted a 3.84 grade point average while majoring in Spanish and American History.  He is a member of Omicron Delta Kappa national honor society and was named to the 2006 ESPN the Magazine Academic All-District team.  On the field, Madden finished in a tie for the league-lead in triples with seven with teammate, Terrence McKelvey.  Madden’s 15 career triples mark a Washington and Lee program record.  For the season, he batted .341 with 13 doubles and three homers to go with his seven triples.  He also drove in 36 runs and stole six bases.

Coach Hedrick guided the Yellow Jackets to the program’s first ever ODAC baseball title in just his fourth season at the top spot in Ashland.  Randolph-Macon won six more games overall and four more conference contests that it had a season ago, earning the third seed going into the ODAC Baseball Tournament.  The Yellow Jackets will continue their campaign into the NCAA tournament at a site yet to be determined.

Listed below are the entire 2008 All-ODAC Baseball teams.  For more information, visit the ODAC on the Internet at www.odaconline.com.

2008 ALL-ODAC BASEBALL TEAMS

Player of the Year: Ronnie LaBrie, Lynchburg

Coach of the Year: Ray Hedrick, Randolph-Macon

Co-Pitchers of the Year: Gary Bulman, Virginia Wesleyan and Byron Mendenhall, Randolph-Macon

Co-Rookies of the Year: Gary Bulman, Virginia Wesleyan and Byron Mendenhall, Randolph-Macon

ODAC/Farm Bureau Scholar-Athlete of the Year: James Madden, Washington and Lee

ALL-ODAC FIRST TEAM

Pitcher: Gary Bulman, Virginia Wesleyan

Pitcher: Byron Mendenhall, Randolph-Macon

Catcher: Will Lewis, Washington and Lee

First Base: Jon Crews, Lynchburg

Second Base: Greg Meleski, Randolph-Macon

Shortstop: Ronnie LaBrie, Lynchburg

Third Base: Jeff Taylor, Lynchburg

Outfield: Ozz Dhramapitaksook, Virginia Wesleyan

Outfield: Terrence McKelvey, Washington and Lee

Outfield: Mike Wallace, Randolph-Macon

Designated Hitter: Charlie Hartt, Randolph-Macon

ALL-ODAC SECOND TEAM

Pitcher: Joe Devlin, Lynchburg

Pitcher: Jesse Freeman, Virginia Wesleyan

Catcher: Andrew Chrismer, Bridgewater

First Base: Drew Elkins, Bridgewater

Second Base: Phil Cadle, Virginia Wesleyan

Second Base: Aaron Read, Bridgewater

Shortstop: Gavin Haynes, Emory & Henry

Third Base: Daniel Prieto, Hampden-Sydney

Outfield: Cameron Grant, Lynchburg

Outfield: Mike Graves, Bridgewater

Outfield: James Madden, Washington and Lee

Designated Hitter: Mike Lenox, Bridgewater

ALL-ODAC HONORABLE MENTION

Pitcher: Jared Millner, Lynchburg

Pitcher: Daniel Hadra, Hampden-Sydney

Pitcher: Nolan Shaffer, Bridgewater

Catcher: C.J. Rhodes, Virginia Wesleyan

First Base: Phil Drew, Guilford

First Base: Hunter Serenbetz, Washington and Lee

Shortstop: Graham Thacker, Roanoke

Outfield: J.C. Conway, Randolph-Macon

Outfield: Chris Harpine, Eastern Mennonite

Outfield: Seth Hyder, Emory & Henry

ALL-ODAC SPORTSMANSHIP TEAM

Brad Burack, Bridgewater

Jamison Jarvis, Eastern Mennonite

Anthony Lowry, Emory & Henry

Alex Starbuck, Guilford

David Toney, Hampden-Sydney

Jeff Lincoln, Lynchburg

Chris Dykes, Randolph-Macon

Dan Fallen, Roanoke

Adam Marx, Virginia Wesleyan

Dan Harris, Washington and Lee