KALAMAZOO, Mich. – Let's take a look back at the Western Michigan baseball team's record breaking 2016 season highlighted by the school's first ever MAC Tournament Championship.
Success in the MAC Tournament
The Broncos went 4-1 at the MAC Tournament in 2016, ending in a MAC Tournament Championship and WMU's first NCAA Regional appearance since 1989. WMU became the lowest seed to ever win the MAC Tournament as the No. 7, as the team defeated No. 2 Ball State, No. 3 Miami, No. 6 Central Michigan and No. 1 Kent State in the MAC Tournament Championship. Under head coach Billy Gernon, the Brown & Gold has found success in the MAC Tournament, going 9-9 in Gernon's six years; a winning percentage that trails just one MAC school in that span. Of the team's that have qualified, Gernon's squad has the second most postseason wins in the past six years, thanks in large part to the fact that the Broncos have never gone 0-2 at the MAC Tournament in that span, a stat no other team in the league can boast. Prior to Gernon's hire, WMU did not win a game in the tournament since 1998.
Rewriting the Record Book
The 2016 Broncos made their mark on the record book, including four records that were broken this season. WMU fielded .978 this season, the highest ever in the school's history. The team broke a 44-year record previously held by the 1972 squad and was at No. 1 in the nation for three straight weeks. Very impressive for a team that has averaged 12 home games a year since Gernon arrived in the rough Kalamazoo climate. Junior LHP Keegan Akin had a monster year, breaking the single season strikeout record with 133, surpassing Pat Misch's 2001 record of 99. Akin also finished second for most innings pitched in a season (109.0), second in career strikeouts (270) and fourth in career innings pitched (278.1). Junior Kyle Mallwitz set the single season appearance record with 34, while sophomore LHP Jacob Piechota finished second for wins in a season (10) and tied for second in single season appearances (29). Junior Grant Miller had a big year at the plate, leading the team in RBI (36) while recording the fourth longest hitting streak in school history (19 games) and breaking the career hit by pitch record (41). Gabe Berman, who broke the school record for career saves last season, missed this season due to injury and therefore could not add on to his school record, but he is expected to make a full return next season.
Postseason Accolades
Akin and freshman Connor Smith were each rewarded for their big years, as each were named All-Americans. First, Akin earned Baseball America Third Team All-America honors and Smith followed that with a Louisville Slugger Freshman All-American award. Akin became WMU's first ever MAC Tournament MVP while being named to the All-MAC Tournament team, First Team All-MAC and was also tabbed All-MAC Defensive Team. Smith was named the MAC Freshman Player of the Year, Second Team All-MAC and made the All-MAC Tournament team. Piechota and Miller each earned All-MAC Tournament team honors as well. During the season, the Broncos had four players win MAC Player of the Week in Keegan Akin (2x), Prince and Miller. Gernon has had 27 MAC Players of the Week in his six years; in the two years prior to his hire, the program had one.
Broncos in the MLB Draft
Akin was drafted in Round 2, Pick 54 by the Baltimore Orioles, making him the highest WMU draft pick since 1970. He was also the first player drafted from the state of Michigan, the next came back in the fourth round. This marks the third season in a row the Broncos will be losing juniors to the MLB Draft after Brett Sunde (18th round) and Kurt Hoekstra (21st round) were taken in 2015 and Andrew Sohn (6th round) was selected in 2014. Sunde was also drafted out of high school to the Oakland A's, but developed at WMU to become a higher draft pick. WMU has 106 draft picks since 1965, the highest in the MAC in that span.
