BAKERSFIELD, Calif.—Dustin Frailey and David Metzgar earned All-Conference honors for CSU Bakersfield as the Roadrunners prepare to open the Western Athletic Conference Tournament Wednesday night against Utah Valley.
The WAC's 10 head coaches named Frailey first team All-Conference as an outfielder. He tied for the league lead in batting with conference MVP Daniel Johnson of NM State (.376). Frailey led the conference with a school record eight triples. He was tied for second in the WAC in runs scored (43) with Seattle U's Sheldon Stobler. Frailey was third in the league in stolen bases (18, a new CSUB record) and fifth in the league in total bases (109).
Metzgar was named second team All-Conference as an at-large selection. Metzgar ended the regular season with 41 RBI's, the fifth most in the WAC. Metzgar's four triples were the fourth most in the conference. His 204 at-bats were the ninth most in the league.
Johnson was chosen league MVP while Seattle U's Nick Merservey was named WAC Pitcher of the Year while the Redhawks' Donny Harrel was selected WAC Coach of the Year. North Dakota's Miles Lewis earned WAC Freshman of the Year honors.
The Roadrunners (18-35, 12-14 WAC) won their final eight WAC games to earn the sixth seed in the WAC Tournament and a chance to repeat as WAC Tournament champion. CSUB was swept by Utah Valley (33-21, 18-9 WAC) this season in Orem. The 'Runners and Wolverines will face each other on the WAC Digital Network beginning at 7 p.m. Radio coverage is available on KERN Newstalk 1180 & 96.1 FM with Corey Costelloe on the call beginning at 6:45 p.m.
UVU had two players chosen first team All-Conference in Greyson Bogden (at-large) and Danny Beddes (at-large pitcher). Jake Meyer was named second team All-Conference as a starting pitcher.
With three weeks to go in the regular season, CSU Bakersfield was on the outside looking into the Western Athletic Conference Tournament. The Roadrunners responded with a 9-1 record over the final games including eight consecutive WAC games.
Over the final 10 games, the CSUB bats came alive. The Roadrunners scored 90 runs (9 per game), hitting .328 as a team. Senior Chance Gusbeth who was struggling at the plate with a .196 average at the start of this span, got hot at the right time.
Gusbeth raised his batting average 66 points, to .262 during the final 10 games. He is 16 for his last 34 at the plate (.471) with one home run and is one of three players with 14 RBI's (the others being Mahlik Jones and Metzgar). Gusbeth doubles as the Roadrunner closer and in three pitching appearances down the stretch, he is 1-0 with a save.
For his efforts in the final week of the year, Gusbeth was selected WAC Hitter of the Week for May 16-22. He hit .667 in three games. In the final non-conference game of the year, he went 2-for-4 against Cal Poly. Against North Dakota, he finished a double shy of the cycle on Friday, going 3-for-4 with a home run, four RBIs and three runs scored. He followed that up with another 3-for-4 afternoon, this time driving home two runs and scoring twice.
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