Nine Linfield Baseball Players Named to NWC All-Star Squad

Linfield finished 22-16 overall in Scott Carnahan’s final season as coach.

Kevin Mills scored 32 runs while adding six doubles, two triples and two home runs for Linfield this season. Photo: Linfield Athletics

McMINNVILLE, Ore. - Nine Linfield baseball players have been named to the Northwest Conference all-star team following a vote of the league’s nine coaches.

Named to the first team were outfielder Kevin Mills, designated hitter Stew Davis, and pitcher Brian Clark.

Earning second team all-conference recognition were catcher Drew Van Cleave, second baseman Cory Ellis, pitcher Cameron Larson and shortstop David Bachofner.

Honorable mention acclaim went to outfielder Caleb Kearns and third baseman Rhett Fenton.

Mills started every game in center field, posting a .359 batting average. He scored 32 runs while adding six doubles, two triples and two home runs. He also drove in 36 runs and stole 16 bases.

Davis, who hit .358 while starting all 38 games, was a repeat first team selection. He hit a team-best 13 doubles to go with one triple and two home runs. Davis also led the ‘Cats with 38 RBIs.

Clark, a second team NWC all-star as a sophomore in 2006, came into his own this spring.

In 14 pitching appearances, he compiled a 7-3 record with a 2.99 earned run average and a team-high 83 strikeouts. Twice honored as NWC Pitcher of the Week, Clark pitched four complete games, including three shutouts.

Van Cleave, a first team NWC all-star last season, hit .333 with 11 doubles, two home runs and 20 RBIs.

Ellis started all 38 games in the infield, hitting .351 with six doubles, two triples and two home runs. He also stole a team-high 21 bases.

Larson finished the season with an 8-3 record on the mound in 15 appearances. He posted a 3.42 ERA with 46 strikeouts.

Bachofner started 33 games in the infield, hitting .328 with eight doubles and one triple. He also stole three bases.

Kearns, the Wildcats’ lone senior, hit .301 during his first full season as a starter in the outfield. He hit three doubles and one home run, driving in 11 runs.

Fenton emerged as an everyday starter at the midway point of the season, hitting a team-best .375 in 22 games. He contributed eight doubles and two home runs.

Linfield finished 22-16 overall in Scott Carnahan’s final season as coach. The ‘Cats placed third in the NWC with a 17-7 record.

Linfield was the only NWC team to beat conference champion Pacific Lutheran twice, and forced NAIA No. 1 Lewis-Clark State to 14 innings before falling 7-6 on the season’s final weekend.

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