TIGER BASEBALL EARNS FOUR ALL-CONFERENCE HONORS
Mitchell, S.D. – The Dakota Wesleyan baseball team collected four All-Conference honors for the 2023 season, all being Honorable Mention awards. The four players include two-way player Seth Christiansen, pitcher Troy Wilhelm, first baseman Diego Jirau and two-sport athlete and outfielder Landon Ruesink. Christiansen, Jirau and Ruesink were responsible for 31% of the total teams runs and runs batted in, 39% of home runs hit and 37% of all extra base hits on the season. On the mound, Wilhelm and Christiansen appeared in 58% of games for the Tiger staff with Wilhelm leading the way with a team best 17 appearances.
Seth Christiansen was the leader for the Tiger squad all season going both ways as the top arm and bat at the plate. On the mound Christiansen had team bests in innings pitched (42.0), wins (2), complete games (2), strikeout to walk ratio (.44) and strikeouts (39). At the plate Seth finished with the second-best average on the team (.289), first in extra base hits (12) and second in runs scored and batted in (18). This is Christiansen's first All-GPAC award in his junior year after improving from a .240 average and 9.00 ERA from his sophomore campaign. Christiansen slugged his first home run of the season against No. 24 Doane (3/20/23). In his last four contests at the plate the Victor, Idaho junior went 8 for 14 (.571). On the mound Christiansen collected two back-to-back complete game wins against Northwestern (4/17/23) and Hastings (4/24/23).
Troy Wilhelm was the most consistent arm for the Tigers all season and most reliable and called upon arm out of the bullpen. Wilhelm led the team in appearances (17), ERA (3.42) and tied for saves. Troy also had the second-best strikeout to walk ratio (.45) only trailing Christiansen by a slim margin. The senior earned his first collegiate win in a four-inning shutout relief effort, that also was the Tigers first conference win of the season against Dordt (4/3/23). Troy During a span from (3/7/23 – 4/6/23) did not allow a single run in 9 2/3 innings of work.
Diego Jirau in his freshman season was a huge part in the Tigers offense, typically hitting in the three or four spot for most of the season. Jirau finished hitting .274 with 17 runs batted in, 15 runs scored, 8 extra base hits and a .394 on base-percentage. Diego recorded a four RBI day going 2 for 4 with a double and triple against D2 opponent Bemidji State (3/8/23). The Woodbury, Minnesota native connected on his first collegiate home run vs. Hastings (4/24/23).
Landon Ruesink was a late surprise and surge for the Tiger squad during the second half of the season. Ruesink only collected one total at bat in the first 28 games of the Tigers 43 game season. Even with this, Ruesink still finished with team bests of batting average (.322), on base-percentage (.403) and slugging percentage (.475). Landon also concluded the season third in runs scored on the team (16) and fifth in extra base hits (5) with only 18 starts. The Dell Rapids, South Dakota native made an immediate impact in his first collegiate start going 3 for 4 with his first collegiate home run against Briar Cliff (4/8/23). In his 18 starts, Ruesink collected a base hit in 15 of those games, but reached base safely in 16 of the 18.
