Kanzler and Burke Named to All-Mideast Region Teams
6/13/2013 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
BUFFALO, NY - The honors keep coming in for the Buffalo baseball team, as a pair of Bulls were recognized as members of the 2013 ABCA/Rawlings Mideast Regional Honors. Jason Kanzler made the first team, while junior Mike Burke earned second team votes. In a season full of program firsts, this now marks the first time in program history that multiple players have made the team in back-to-back seasons, following up on Matt Pollock and Tom Murphy's spot on the 2012 teams.
Kanzler had a season to remember, culminating in a Mid-American Conference Player of the Year Award and a selection in the 2013 Major League Baseball draft by the Minnesota Twins. In 2013, he batted .330 with 12 home runs, 53 runs batted in, and numerous other marks that put him in the top ten in nine different offensive categories. Notably, he now owns single-season records for at bats (227), games played (57), and runs batted in (53).
Burke was equally as dominant on the mound, and made the first team All-MAC as an at-large player. For the season, he posted an 8-2 record with a 2.66 earned run average. As the Sunday ace, though, he had a 1.90 ERA with two shutouts and a .209 batting average allowed to opponents in the regular season. At the season's end, he set the single-season mark in innings pitched and shutouts, fourth in strikeouts, and second in wins for a single season. Added to that, he was named the MAC East Pitcher of the Week two times.
The regional team was voted on by 38 coaches, and draws from 38 schools in the region. The MAC had nine players in total between the two 13-member teams, trailing only the Big 10, who had 12.
Starting Pitcher
First Team:
Scott Baker, Ball State
Aaron Slegers, Indiana
Taylor Williams, Kent State
Second Team:
Kevin Duchene, Illinois
Mike Burke, Buffalo
Jake Long, Wisconsin-Milwaukee
Relief Pitcher
First Team:
Trace Dempsey, Ohio State
Second Team:
Karch Kowalczyk, Valparaiso
Catcher
First Team:
Kyle Schwarber, Indiana
Second Team:
TJ Losby, Bowling Green
First Base
First Team:
Trey Mancini, Notre Dame
Second Team:
George Roberts, Kent State
Second Base
First Team:
Mike Porcaro, Wisconsin-Milwaukee
Second Team:
Kyle Ruchim, Northwestern
Shortstop
First Team:
Illinois: Thomas Lindauer
Second Team:
Ohio State: Kirby Pellant
Third Base
First Team:
Eric Jagielo, Notre Dame
Second Team:
Dustin DeMuth, Indiana
Outfield
First Team:
Justin Parr, Illinois
Jason Kanzler, Buffalo
Mike O'Neil, Michigan
Second Team
Tyler Grogg, Toledo
Ben Hammer, Toledo
Evan Campell, Kent State
Designated Hitter
First Team:
Scott Donley, Indiana
Second Team:
Blaise Salter, Michigan State
