Scieszinski headlines three all-conference baseball selections

CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa – A trio of Simpson baseball players earned spots on the 2014 All-Iowa Conference Baseball Team following a vote of the league's coaches, the conference office announced Wednesday.

Utility player Jake Scieszinski earned first team honors while outfielder Jake Barr and pitcher Matt Pennings landed on the second team.

Simpson went 22-22 in 2014, finishing fifth place in the Iowa Conference. The Storm went 2-2 at the conference tournament for a fourth-place finish.

 A junior from Mount Vernon, Iowa, Scieszinski saw time at four different positions throughout the season, making 26 starts at second base, 10 at designated hitter, eight at pitcher and three at shortstop. He hit .279 with two doubles, one triple and 12 RBIs at the plate and went 3-4 with a 4.91 ERA on the mound. He made nine appearances and pitched a total of 36.2 innings, tallying 25 strikeouts against just four walks.

A senior left fielder from Henderson, Nev., Barr earned second team honors for the third time in his career. He led the team with a .343 batting average, legging out five doubles and driving in 17 RBIs. He quietly pieced together a career that ranks among Simpson's finest, closing with a .314 batting average and 174 hits, the fourth-most in school history. His 108 runs scored are the sixth-most in school history, a number that includes a team-best 35 in 2014.

A junior from Ankeny, Iowa, Pennings went 6-4 with a 2.68 ERA and three saves. He showed amazing control, striking out 47 batters and walking only four in 74 innings of work for an eye-popping 11.8 strikeout-to-walk ratio. He had one shutout, threw seven complete games and earned Iowa Conference Pitcher of the Week honors once.

Pennings' final save of the season gave him nine on his career, setting a new Simpson record. His 2.68 ERA is the best by a Simpson pitcher since 2010 and marks just the third time since 1999 that a Simpson pitcher has maintained an ERA below 2.70. Jake Ritchey (2.25 in 2006) and Chris Dorff (2.64 in 2010) are the only others to achieve the feat.

2014 All-Iowa Conference Baseball Team

Pitcher of the Year - Jon Ringblom, Buena Vista (Sr.)
Position Player of the Year - D.J. Utley, Wartburg (Jr., 1B/UT)
Coach of the Year - Steve Eddie, Buena Vista