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PORTLAND, Ore. – In wrapping up the 2009 season, three seniors –
Craig Spicer (Vancouver, Wash.),
Russ Johnston (Independence, Ore.), and
Jason Braun (Dallas, Ore.) – were named as part of the All-Cascade Collegiate Conference Team that was announced earlier Friday by the conference office.
Spicer and Johnston were both named as part of the 1st team, while Braun earned honorable mention recognition.
"I'm proud of what all three of these guys accomplished on the field this year and it is nice that the other coaches in the conference noticed as well," commented third-year head coach
Nate Mayben. "Braun, Spicer, and Johnston were not only leaders on the field, but in the weight room and classroom as well. All three will be missed, but they did set an example for this young team on what it takes to be successful at this level."
Spicer, a three-year infielder for the Warriors, led the team in eight offensive categories this season that included batting average (.355), at-bats (166), runs scored (26), hits (59), doubles (10), total bases (83), slugging percentage (.500), and on-base percentage (.417).
Career-wise, Spicer ranks third all-time in Warrior history with a batting average of .341. Meanwhile, the 6-foot-2 infielder sits within the Top 10 in three other categories – hits (164 – 5th), doubles (31 – tied for 6th). and at-bats (481 – 10th).
Johnston, who played three seasons for the Warriors, made his return to the Salem-based college this year after he was away from the game for nearly six years helping to plant a church in the Independence-area. In his final season donning the navy and gold, Johnston led the team in both home runs (7) and runs batted in (27). Along with his power numbers, Johnston finished as the team's runner-up in six different offensive categories that included batting average (.272), at-bats (151), runs scored (23), hits (41), total bases (70), and slugging percentage (.464).
Among the all-time career leaders in Warrior history, Johnston is tied for 4th in stolen bases with 29, tied for 5th in home runs with 9, and ranks 6th in runs scored with 86. On the base path, the fleet-footed Johnston holds the single-season record for stolen bases with 20 to go along with his career total.
Braun, a four-year starter for the Warriors, was the ace of Corban's pitching staff all year and set a new single-season Earned Run Average (ERA) mark of 3.46. Despite a sub-par win-loss record, the 6-foot-5 right-hander led the Warriors in six pitching categories that included appearances (13), games started (11), shutouts (1), saves (2), innings pitched (78.0), and strikeouts (61).
At the end of his illustrious career, Braun finds himself ranked inside the Top 10 in Warrior history in eight categories that includes shutouts (2 – tied for 2nd), inning pitched (276.2 –3rd), strikeouts (166 – 4th), appearances (60 –tied for 4th), games started (39 –7th), complete games (8 – tied for 7th), saves (2 – tied for 7th), and wins (7 – tied for 10th).
Coming off a '09 season in which Corban amassed a win-loss record of 11-35 that included a 9-23 showing in NAIA West play, the Warriors placed three players on the all-conference team for the second year in a row.
Mayben has coached 13 all-conference players during his tenure as head coach of the Warriors, while registering 35 career victories during his time leading Corban to rank second on the all-time wins list since the program was reinstated in 1988.