SANTA BARBARA - The SBCC baseball team had its most All-WSC selections since 2014, with 10 Vaqueros being named to the All-Conference squad, it was announced this week.
2022 All-Western State Conference North Division Team
All-WSC First Team
Pearce Blaney - Fr. OF
SBCC's leader in batting average (.319) was one of just two Vaqueros to reach 30 hits during the regular season. He owns the team's second-best on base percentage (.431) and heads into the postseason with 24 runs, 13 RBI, 15 walks, and six doubles. Blaney began the Vaqueros' year with fireworks, giving them their first runs of the year with a two-run homer in their season-opening win at Chaffey. In total, he has eight multi-hit outings, recording season-highs of four hits and three runs in a Mar. 26 win over LA Pierce.
Andrew McKenna - Fr. UT
After transferring to SBCC from Holy Cross, University of Nevada, Reno commit Andrew McKenna hasn't disappointed this year as he leads the team with 23 RBI. He is one of four Vaqueros with a team-high three home runs, batting .264 for the third-most hits (28) on the team. He has also rounded the bases 14 times while putting up four doubles and 18 walks.
Colby Downard - Fr. P
A returner from the shortened 2019-20 season, pitcher Colby Downard has been outstanding from his very first appearance in late January. The Westlake, Calif. native didn't give up a single earned run in three of his first four games this year, currently leading the entire WSC-North with a 2.33 ERA. He tossed a personal-best nine strikeouts on two occasions – currently leading the team with 50 – and recorded his first two career saves. In games where Downard has stepped on the mound, the Vaqueros owned an outstanding 11-2 record.
All-WSC Second Team
Tyler Imbach - Fr. C - Gold Glove Winner
It was a slow offensive start to the season for the former Palos Verdes High School standout, but Tyler Imbach turned it around beginning with a four-game hit streak on Mar. 10 against Ventura. From that point on, he would bat .288 with a hit in 12 of the final 18 regular season games, including six multi-hit efforts. Imbach exploded for two home runs on three hits at LA Pierce on Apr. 28, his second straight game tallying a season-high three RBI. He is also just one of three Vaqueros to register 20 walks, currently owning a .400 OBP.
Matty Fung - Fr. IF
Foster City, CA native Matty Fung has made superb defensive plays all year long out of second base, and with his slash line of .318/.417/.420 joins Blaney as the only Vaqueros to bat over .300 with on base and slugging percentages over .400. Fung has been very consistent on offense, especially from Feb. 15 to Mar. 18 when he had hit streaks of five and seven games over a span of 13 contests. His seven-game hit streak included a season-best two-double, four-hit outing at Ventura. Fung also leads the team with 14 stolen bases, a mark which ranks third in the WSC-North.
Decker Mac Neil - Fr. P
Tying Downard for a team-high 10 games started was Decker Mac Neil – and for good reason. Mac Neil has the second-most wins (4) on the team and owns the third-lowest ERA in the conference of 3.19. He has tossed at least five strikeouts on six different occasions, another team-best, including a season-high seven in a close 4-3 win at Moorpark on Mar. 31.
Charlie Adamson - Fr. P
Relief pitcher Charlie Adamson has brought the heat all year long, leading the Vaqueros in strikeouts per nine innings (9.39) while tying Noah Bullard for the most appearances (16) of any pitcher on the team. The Malibu, CA native tied for team-high honors with two saves and enters the postseason allowing no runs in five straight games.
All-WSC Honorable Mention
Mark Hernandez - So. IF
Hernandez had the most at bats (120) of any Vaquero during the regular season and was able to produce with those opportunities, leading the team with 35 hits and 27 walks – the latter just one shy of being the most in the conference. He joins McKenna as the only Vaqueros with at least 20 RBI and has a solid .292/.439/.400 slash line.
Gabriel Baldavino - So. IF
Just behind Hernandez in both at bats and walks is Baldavino, whose 26 walks are the fourth-most in the conference. He is currently second on the team in runs (25) and doubles (7), and fourth in RBI (16).
Caiden Matheny - Fr. OF
Matheny began his season with a seven-game run streak, including a season-best four runs at West LA on Feb. 10. He currently leads the team with 28 runs. Hit streaks of six and seven games bookended his regular season, giving him 29 for the year, good for third on the team. His .419 slugging percentage also ranks third on the team, thanks to four doubles and a triple to go with his team-high three homers.
