Zimmerman Receives PSUAC Player of the Year Honors
The Pennsylvania State University Athletic Conference unveiled its Baseball All-Conference roster on Friday. Owen Zimmerman emerged as the PSUAC East Player of the Year, while seven other players earned recognition for their performances during the 2024 season.
SCHUYLKILL HAVEN, Pa. – The Pennsylvania State University Athletic Conference unveiled its Baseball All-Conference roster on Friday. Owen Zimmerman emerged as the PSUAC East Player of the Year, while seven other players earned recognition for their performances during the 2024 season.
Owen Zimmerman (Shoemakersville, PA / Hamburg Area High School) showcased dominance throughout the year, leading several statistical categories within the PSUAC. He topped the league in total hits with 62, doubles with 20, and secured second place in RBIs with 47, along with ranking seventh in runs scored with 38. On the pitching front, Zimmerman claimed the 10th spot in the PSUAC for strikeouts with 40.
In terms of averages, Zimmerman led the PSUAC with a batting average of .477, boasted the highest on-base percentage (OBP) in the conference at .556, and slugged .662, landing him in eighth place in the conference. Zimmerman surpassed the milestone of 100 career hits and currently holds the single-season hits record at Penn State Schuylkill with 62. He was recently honored as the Penn State Schuylkill Male Athlete of the Year.
Tristian Baer (Hamburg, PA / Hamburg Area High School) earned the distinction of PSUAC Pitcher of the Year. Baer secured eight pitching wins in 11 appearances, leading the conference in complete games with seven while tallying 48 strikeouts on the year, placing him fifth in the conference. Baer recorded the highest earned run average (ERA) in the conference at 2.95 and the second-highest walks plus hits per Inning pitched (WHIP) at 1.16.
Conner Licklider (Hamburg, PA / Hamburg Area High School) was named PSUAC Co-Newcomer of the Year after finishing fourth in the PSUAC in total hits with 53 and leading the conference with 50 runs scored. Licklider tied for 12th in the conference with three home runs and finished 12th in total RBIs with 33, ending the season with a .393 batting average.
Ethan Naftzinger (Hamburg, PA / Hamburg Area High School) concluded his collegiate career with a fourth consecutive appearance on the first team. Naftzinger, who achieved his 100th career hit during the season, ended with 39 hits and 29 RBIs.
Newcomers RayJay Marmolejos (Wyomissing, PA / Wilson High School), Brenan Adams (Pottsville, PA / Pottsville Area High School), and Nate Gilbert (Shoemakersville, PA / Hamburg Area High School) also earned first-team honors. Marmolejos finished seventh in the PSUAC in runs, tenth in doubles, and had the tenth highest OBP at .516, along with recording 11 stolen bases and 31 hits. Adams finished fourth in the PSUAC in RBIs, seventh in triples, and 16th in doubles, with 37 hits. Gilbert finished 12th in the conference in home runs with three while accumulating 32 hits and 30 RBIs.
Representing Penn State Schuylkill on the honorable mention team is Owen Shoop (Tower City, PA / Williams Valley High School), who ranked fourth in the conference in pitching wins. Shoop secured the seventh spot in ERA and finished with the 10th highest WHIP.
Zimmerman received the John Fritz Sportsmanship Award which is given to one player from each team in the league who best displays the core values of the league and sportsmanship to teammates and opponents throughout the season.