CBB: SBCC’s Hill honored as WSC North co-Player of Year

James Hill was selected as co-Player of the Year on the All-WSC North baseball team and SBCC’s Jeff Walker earned co-Coach of the Year honors. Hill shared his award with Oxnard pitcher Blake Redman and Jon Larson of Oxnard was also named Coach of the Year.

The Vaqueros and Condors tied for the conference title with 17-7 records.

Hill, a 5-11 sophomore catcher from Monterey, was second in WSC games in batting (.376) and first in RBIs with 26 in 24 games. He was joined on the first team by three sophomores — shortstop Matt Henderson and starting pitchers Sean Barry and Justin Bruce.

Henderson was sixth in conference hitting (.349) and second in stolen bases (11). Barry went 6-2 in nine WSC games and led the WSC with a miniscule 1.30 ERA and 63 strikeouts. Bruce (4-1), the sixth-ranked pitcher with a 2.01 ERA, made first-team all-conference for the second straight year.

Second baseman Spencer Erdman, who hit .337 with 16 RBIs and led the WSC North with 16 stolen bases, was a second-team choice, along with outfielder Noeh Martinez (.324) and pitcher Lucas Jacobsen.

Sophomore outfielders Brandon Evans and Connor McManigal were honorable mention, along with freshman relief pitcher Steven Ledesma.

Henderson and Erdman won Gold Gloves with fielding percentages of .966 and .964, respectively. The shortstop and second baseman combined for 31 double plays.

Henderson, a sophomore from Chico, was the co-Gold Glove of the Division along with Cuesta catcher TK McWherter.

It was the second Coach of the Year honor for Walker, who also guided the Vaqueros to a WSC title in his first season in 2012. SBCC has won three of the last five WSC titles and is making its fifth consecutive trip to the playoffs.

Santa Barbara was seeded No. 3 for the Southern Cal Regional and will host Rio Hondo in a best-of-3 series, starting Friday at 2 p.m.