The Great Lakes Valley Conference released its 2014 postseason award winners on May 7 at the GLVC Championship Tournament Banquet in Evansville, Indiana, with the University of Wisconsin-Parkside Baseball team's
Mario Samuel securing GLVC Freshman of the Year accolades.
The freshman lefthander made 11 appearances on the mound for the Rangers, including 10 starts. Samuel finished the season with a 5-5 record and an earned run average of 4.42. The Bolingbrook, Illinois, native tossed a team-high 73 1/3 innings on the season, collecting a team-best 59 strikeouts while tossing five complete games.
Samuel tossed a complete game shutout on March 31, helping the Rangers down host University of Indianapolis, 2-0, before securing
GLVC Pitcher of the Week accolades on April 1. The southpaw rolled up two wins in a five-day span in late April, tossing seven innings in an 11-3 win over Lewis University on April 23 while pitching the first nine frames in a 7-1 extra innings win over Bellarmine University on April 27. Samuel concluded the season on Saturday by striking out a season-high 13 batters in a 4-3 extra innings setback to McKendree University.
Samuel becomes the first Ranger to claim GLVC Freshman of the Year honors since Casey Garms claimed the award during the 2004 season.
