RUSSELLVILLE — A total of seven players from the Arkansas Tech baseball team earned recognition from the Great American Conference for their outstanding efforts on the field this season as the league announced it annual all-conference team and superlative awards on Thursday.
Patrick Miner, Josh Detweiler and Evan Hafley headlined the All-GAC honors for the regular season champion Wonder Boys as all three landed on the First Team. Miner, a starting pitcher, was the only player regardless of position in the league to be tabbed as a unanimous selection. Detweiler was one of three to make First Team in the outfield while Hafley was the lone First Team designated hitter.
In addition to that trio of first teamers, the Wonder Boys also had Jonathon Arrieta, Hayes Cox, Trace Maddux and Matt Robbins receive recognition. Arrieta was named to the Second Team at first base while Cox and Maddux were placed on the Honorable Mention Team at their respective positions of starting pitcher and third base.
Cox was also named to the league's All-Defensive Team as a pitcher and was joined by battery-mate Matt Robbins as he made the defensive team at catcher.
PATRICK MINER
A native of Tyler, Texas, Miner was unanimously named as a First Team starting pitcher and was the only player on the first team, regardless of position, to be a unanimous selection.
That unique distinction came as Miner has turned in a breakout and dominant year on the mound for the Wonder Boys. To begin the season, Miner got the ball and has continued to prove worthy of "Game One Starting Pitcher" billing.
In 13 starts, Miner has an 8-2 record and a 3.57 ERA. In 80.2 innings of work, Miner has racked up a GAC-best 89 strikeouts. His strikeout total also ranks 19th in all of DII. In each of his starts, Miner has struck out at least four batters and in each of his last two regular season starts, he has registered 10 strikeouts.
Miner also ranks in the top-five in the GAC in major pitching categories including: ERA (2nd), Opponent Batting Average (.244 - 3rd), Innings Pitched (2nd), Batters Struck Out Looking (34 - 1st) and Wins (T1st)
Patrick Miner All-GAC
JOSH DETWEILER
A native of Moore, Okla., Detweiler landed on the First Team as an outfielder thanks to his presence in the middle of the Wonder Boys' lineup.
On the year, Detweiler has his batting average near the .400 mark at .394 (56-for-142) to rank second on the team. He is currently the team-leader in slugging percentage at .704 thanks to 12 doubles, four triples and eight home runs.
Detweiler also ranks among the league leaders in several top offensive categories including Batting Average (9th), Slugging Percentage (9th), Runs Scored (44 - T4th), Hits (56 - T11th), Doubles (T9th), Triples (T4th) and total bases (100 - T9th).
Josh Detweiler All-GAC
EVAN HAFLEY
A native of Peaster, Texas, Hafley garnered his first All-GAC honor and was named to the First Team as a designated hitter.
Living up to the role of being a designated hitter, Hafley improved upon the breakout year at the plate he had going last year during the COVID-shortened season where he was off to a .352 start on his batting average and had seven home runs and 28 RBIs.
This year, Hafley has played and started in all 40 games so far and is hitting .380 (57-for-150) with 32 runs scored, 11 doubles, nine home runs and 32 RBIs. He as walked 21 times and been hit by a pitch seven times for an on-base percentage of .478.
Hafley's batting average (11th), hit total (T8th) and on-base percentage (5th) all rank among the top of the statistical leaders in the GAC.
Evan Hafley All-GAC
JONATHON ARRIETA
Nestled a majority of the season at the No. 6 slot in the order, Arrieta has proved to be one of the most dangerous hitters at the spot in the league as is currently hitting .369 (48-for-130) with seven doubles, 12 home runs and 43 RBIs.
His home run total leads the team and ranks in a tie for fifth in the GAC while his RBI total is tied for the team-lead and ranks in a tie for seventh in the league.
In his two seasons at Tech, Arrieta has hit 22 home runs and ranks in a tie for seventh all-time for the Wonder Boys.
Jonathon Arrieta All-GAC
HAYES COX
A native of Fayetteville, Ark., Cox has earned his third All-GAC honor, receiving Second Team honors in 2019 and Honorable Mention recognition in 2018. With that distinction, Cox is the first Wonder Boy to be a three-time All-GAC honoree.
This season, Cox has been a steady member of the Wonder Boys' weekend rotation and has made 13 starts. He is currently 6-3 with a 4.88 ERA and has 58 strikeouts in 66.1 innings of work.
For his career, Cox has started 47 games and has a 23-14 record with a 4.44 ERA. In 257.1 innings of work, he has registered 221 strikeouts. His wins and strikeouts rank in the top-five in the ATU Baseball record books.
Cox was also named to the GAC All-Defensive Team as a pitcher. This season, Cox has an unblemished 1.000 fielding percentage and has registered five putouts and eight assists.
Hayes Cox All-GAC
Hayes Cox All-Defensive
TRACE MADDUX
A native of Wichita, Kan., perhaps no other Wonder Boy has enjoyed a breakout season quite like Maddux has.
Having played and started in all but one game this season, Maddux leads the team in batting average and is one of just seven players in all of the GAC with an average over .400. Through the regular season, Maddux has the second-highest average in the GAC at .416 (57-for-137).
The batting average is not just the only stat that jumps out for Maddux as he is currently tops on the team and second in the GAC in on-base percentage at .503 thanks to his 57 hits, 21 walks and seven hit-by-pitches. He has also struck out only 11 times in 137 at-bats and currently ranks 37th in all of DII as the "toughest to strikeout".
Maddux is also doing a ton of damage at the plate and is narrowly second on the team and 10th in the GAC in slugging percentage at .701 thanks to his 16 doubles, four triples and five home runs. His doubles are tied for the most in the GAC and his triples are tied for fourth. His 43 RBIs on the season are also tied for the team-lead and rank in a tie for seventh in the GAC.
Trace Maddux All-GAC
MATT ROBBINS
A native of Mountain Home, Ark., Robbins was named to the GAC All-Defensive Team at catcher. A workhorse behind the plate, Robbins has played in all 40 games and made 38 starts. He has allowed just two passed balls and has thrown out 11 would-be base stealers.
In terms of fielding percentage, Robbins has been nearly flawless with just two errors in 356 chances. He has registered 332 putouts and made 22 assists.
Robbins has also guided a Wonder Boys pitching staff that has collectively posted a GAC-best and 23rd-lowest ERA at 4.14. Additionally, on the mound, the Wonder Boys have combined to strikeout 349 batters in 320.0 innings of work. The 349 strikeouts are also a program record, besting the previous mark of 348 set back in 2007.
Matt Robbins All-GAC
