Four Bobcat Baseball Players Named To 2018 KSAC All-Conference Team (05/22/2018)

(By CSZ Sports Writer Kenn Staub)  The Clarion Bobcat baseball team had four players selected to the 2018 Keystone Shortway Athletic Conference (KSAC) All-Conference Team. Leading the way were first team infielder Spencer Miller and outfielder Skylar Rhoades. Sterling Conner was named to the second team at catcher and Cam Craig earned recognition as a pitcher on the third team.

Spencer Miller looks to turn two from his shortstop position.

This is Miller’s second consecutive season being named first team All-Conference as an infielder. The senior shortstop led the Bobcats in many of the major offensive statistical categories, including: batting average (.464), hits, (26), doubles (7), runs scored (23), on-base percentage (.545), slugging percentage (.589), and steals (15). He was fourth on the team in runs batted in (RBI) with 8. Not only did Miller’s offensive numbers place him atop the team, but they were also some of the best in the KSAC. He was tied for the conference lead in runs scored, second in hits and stolen bases, tied for second in doubles, third in batting average, and fifth in on-base percentage (OBP).

Skylar Rhoades runs down a ball in center field.

Rhoades, the Bobcats’ sophomore center fielder, led the team with two triples (the only triples hit by the Bobcats thus far in 2018) and was tied for the team lead with 19 RBI. In many other instances he was right behind Miller when it came to offensive output, posting the team’s second highest batting average (.388), hits total (19), doubles (3), and slugging percentage (.531). His OBP of .426 was third best on the team and total runs scored (10) was fourth. He stole five bases, placing him fourth on the team. Rhoades was among the KSAC leaders in hits (tied for eighth), as well as tying for sixth in both RBI and triples. Last season he was named to the KSAC All-Conference teams as a third team outfielder.

Conner, a senior catcher, had Clarion’s only home run of the season, coming in last week’s (May 17) 13-1 victory over Keystone. He was either second or third on the team in most other offensive categories. His three doubles, fifteen RBI, eighteen runs scored, .530 OBP, and nine stolen bases ranked second on the team. His eighteen hits, .367 batting average, and .490 slugging percentage were all good for third. Defensively, he threw out two runners trying to steal. Conner’s total runs scored and stolen base total were eighth in the KSAC. His OBP was tenth. In a testament to Conner’s versatility, he was named 2017 All-Conference as a second team outfielder.

Craig has arguably emerged as the ace of Clarion’s pitching staff. He pitched in a team high nine games, starting seven of those (tying him for the team lead). Craig has a 5-1 record on the mound, leading the team in victories and tying him for second in the KSAC. His 36.2 innings pitched is the most on the team and second in the conference. The senior posted a 1.718 earned run average, fifth in the KSAC, and he has surrendered only nine earned runs (seventh lowest total in the conference). Craig’s twenty-five strike outs are second on the team and place him at tenth conference-wide.

(statistics from MaxPreps and GameChanger, photographs by Christie Datko)