RUSSELLVILLE, Ark. – On Wednesday, the Great American Conference announced its annual All-Conference team and superlative awards for baseball. In that announcement, Arkansas Tech had eight players lauded with all-conference acclaim and one that landed on the all-defensive team.
OFFICIAL GAC RELEASE
Headlining the conference recognitions were a trio of First Team All-GAC selections in
John Gray,
Mason Griffin and
Keaton Ranallo.
In addition to those three,
Sam Stephenson and
Sawyer Duddleston were named Second Team All-GAC while
Brandon Bunton,
Nick Jones and
Cade McBride were selected as Honorable Mention All-GAC performers. Bunton added an additional honor as he was named to the GAC All-Defensive Team.
John Gray
Joining the team at semester break, Gray quickly emerged as the Wonder Boys' game one starting pitcher and held the role for the entirety of the season. Appearing and starting in 14 games, Gray posted the lowest ERA among starters on the staff and ranked fourth in the GAC with a 3.69 ERA.
He would post a 6-4 record and struck out 76 batters in 83.0 innings of work. Twice he was named the GAC Pitcher of the Week and was also later named the NCBWA Central Region Pitcher of the Week for the same performances.
Mason Griffin
The closer for the Wonder Boys, Griffin was one of the top relievers at the backend of a game in all of the GAC. He would go on to appear in 17 games and made 16 relief appearances. Exactly half of those relief appearances resulted in save as he totaled eight, tying him for third in the league.
In 25.2 innings of work, Griffin totaled 27 strikeouts and posted the lowest ERA among relievers on the team at 3.16.
Keaton Ranallo
A transfer from Seminole State College, Ranallo became one of the top power hitters for the Wonder Boys and consistently hit in the middle of the order.
In his first season with the Wonder Boys, Ranallo hit .328 (66-for-201) with 50 runs scored, 19 doubles, two triples, 11 home runs and drove in 50. He would post a slugging percentage of .607, an on-base percentage of .387 and had 122 total bases.
His slugging percentage, home runs, doubles and total bases led the team and ranked in the top-10 of the GAC.
Sam Stephenson
The Wonder Boys' everyday shortstop, Stephenson hit just below the coveted .400 mark and posted a .399 batting average (67-for-168) in 43 games played. His 67 hits were second on the team.
Stephenson would also score 43 runs and hit seven doubles, three triples and three home runs while driving in 22.
Sawyer Duddleston
A fixture in the middle of the order this season, Duddleston boasted a slugging percentage of .574 thanks to 12 doubles, six triples and six home runs. Overall hitting .335 (59-for-176), Duddleston led the team in walks (24), runs scored (56) and hit-by-pitch (25).
His HBP total is a new single-season record at Tech and his six triples ties the record with three other former Wonder Boys.
Brandon Bunton
Playing for the first time in his career as a Wonder Boy, Bunton's top-notch speed helped him develop into a great defensive centerfielder and a dangerous hitter with the ball put in play on the ground.
Playing in 51 games, Bunton hit .338 (53-for-157) with 35 runs scored, seven doubles, one triple and one one home run while driving in 26. His on-base percentage was over .400 at .427 thanks to 20 HBPs and six walks. Once on the bases, Bunton stole 14 bases to lead the team and rank in a tie for seventh in the GAC.
Defensively, covered a remarkable amount of territory and made numerous plays in the gaps to save hits and runs.
Nick Jones
With the program since the 2020 season, Jones had an absolute breakout year and became the Wonder Boys' everyday designated hitter.
In 49 games played, Jones hit .386 (64-for-166) with 44 runs scored, 15 doubles and three home runs while driving in 50.
Cade McBride
A newcomer to the fold this season, McBride proved to be a valuable utility infielder for the Wonder Boys this season. Primarily a third baseman for Tech, McBride also played some shortstop for a stretch while Stephenson was out due to injury.
Playing and starting in all 52 games, McBride hit .322 (68-for-211) with 55 runs scored, 12 doubles, one triple and two home runs while driving in 34. His 68 hits led the team while his 55 runs scored were second.
