Four Named to All-Conference Teams in Baseball

RICHARDSON, Texas – A quartet of St. Mary's Baseball players were honored by the Lone Star Conference at the annual banquet prior to the start of the second week of the Lone Star Tournament.
 
The Rattlers concluded their season on Saturday in the first week of the tournament at St. Edward's. StMU was 25-27 overall with a 23-25 mark in Lone Star play.
 
Junior Easton Parrish (La Vernia, Texas) was voted onto the All-Academic Team by the league's athletic communications personnel. Parrish is an exercise and sports science major who started in all 51 games he played. He hit .294 with 12 doubles, two triples and four home runs and saw action at catcher, first base and in the outfield.
 
For the second-straight season, senior centerfielder Ryan McGowen (San Antonio) was one of the outfielders on the All-Defensive team. The team is selected by the league's head coaches in a vote based solely on defensive performance. In his five seasons (209 games played, 198 starts), McGowen posted 438 putouts with 11 assists and only four errors, never making more than one error a season.
 
Senior Clay Bradford (Atascocita, Texas) was the lone Rattler named to the All-Conference First Team in a vote by the coaches. Bradford ranked amongst the league leaders, hitting .419. He led the team with 15 doubles and 14 home runs for a .759 slugging percentage. He started all 52 games in either the outfield or as a pitcher. Bradford was 4-5 on the hill, striking out 31 in 52.2 innings pitched. 
 
The Rattlers closer, junior Andrew Girod (San Antonio) was tabbed on the All-Conference Second Team. Girod led the Lone Star Conference and ranks sixth in the nation with nine saves. Girod posted a 2.12 ERA with a 2-1 record with 17 appearances. Opponents hit only .195 against him and he fanned 39.
 
Three of the four award winners are slated to return to the Rattlers lineup for 2024. Only McGowen ended his career on Saturday. Player of the Year honors in the league went to Adam Becker from West Texas A&M, while Pitcher of the Year is Angelo State's Kade Bragg. Lance Little from St. Edward's is the Newcomer of the Year and UT Tyler's Kaston Mason is the Freshman of the Year.