BC’s Kendall, LC’s Womack, VWC’s Brynildsen Honored

 FOREST, Va. --- Guilford College first baseman Kyle Wooden and Washington and Lee University pitcher Gregg Laswell top the 2011 All-ODAC Baseball awards as the pair was voted the ODAC Player and Pitcher of the Year, respectively.  Bridgewater College’s Curt Kendall was tabbed the ODAC Coach of the Year, and Lynchburg College pitcher James Womack was named the ODAC Rookie of the Year.  Virginia Wesleyan College outfielder Pike Brynildsen garnered the ODAC/Farm Bureau Insurance Scholar-Athlete Award in a vote of the league’s sports information directors.

Wooden, a senior from Monroe, N.C., topped the ODAC batting charts for the second time in his four seasons in Greensboro.  Wooden, who won the national batting title in 2009, led Guilford to its first ODAC tournament appearance since the 2006 campaign.  He entered the postseason leading the conference in batting average (.480) and on-base percentage (.537).  He was also second in hits (61) and slugging percentage (.661), and third in doubles (17).  His numbers improved when applied to just conference games, as he led all batters in average (.536), on-base percentage (.575), slugging (.768) and hits (37).  He struck out just one time in 17 ODAC games and only three times in 33 total games played.  As of April 19, Wooden was fifth in the country in hits, sixth in doubles, ninth in batting average, and 16^th in toughest to strike out (1K ever 42.3 at bats).

Laswell, a senior from Houston, Texas, posted a 4-1 overall record with three saves in 15 games (six starts) and 57.0 innings.  He led the conference with 58 strikeouts and a .181 batting average against, and was second with two complete games.  His 2.37 ERA ranked third in the league.  He surrendered only 37 hits and walked only 11 batters.  Against conference opponents, Laswell was 4-0 with all three saves and an ODAC second-best 1.71 earned run average.  He fanned 45 batters, tops in the league.  In 42.0 innings, he gave up only 24 hits and walked seven.

Kendall, in his 26^th season at Bridgewater, is the winningest coach in Eagles’ baseball history with a 592-384-8 (.606) career record entering the ODAC tournament.  This year’s honor marks his fifth ODAC top coaching accolade as he led the Eagles to the tournament’s top seed for the second straight season.  Kendall-coached teams have won 11 ODAC championships, accounting for most of the program’s ODAC-record 13 conference titles.

Womack, a freshman from Lynchburg, Va., stepped into the No. 2 starter role for LC and compiled a 6-3 record with the league’s second-best ERA at 2.13.  In 42.1 innings, he fanned 32 batters, gave up 29 hits and handed out 19 free passes.  He boasted a .192 batting average against.  In conference games, Womack made nine appearances and posted a 5-2 record with a 2.36 earned run average.  In 34.1 innings, he struck out 26 batters and surrendered 26 hits and 15 walks.

Brynildsen, a junior from Alexandria, Va., excelled both in the classroom and on the field.  He boasts a 3.96 grade point average as a Political Science and Earth & Environmental Science double-major.  He is a three- time honoree on the Virginia Wesleyan Dean’s List, as well as the All-ODAC Academic Team.  On the diamond, Brynildsen batted .299 (20-for-67) with four doubles, a triple and six runs batted in.  He also stole nine bases in nine attempts.

Listed below are the complete 2011 All-ODAC Baseball Teams.  For more information on ODAC baseball, visit the websites of any of the participating schools, or go to the ODAC’s home on the Internet at www.odaconline.com.