Courtesy of Wichita State Athletics
WICHITA, Kan. -- Wichita State sophomore standout Payton Tolle has been named one of five finalists for the John Olerud Two-Way Player of the Year Award, presented annually to college baseball's best two-way player.
The award is named for the former Washington State University standout who achieved success both as a first baseman and left-handed pitcher during the late 1980s and was inducted into the National College Baseball Hall of Fame in 2007. The award will be presented by the College Baseball Foundation later this year.
Tolle was named First Team All-American Athletic Conference utility player after a breakout season as Wichita State's Saturday starter and designated hitter. The 6'6 lefty went 9-3 with a 4.62 ERA over 15 appearances including 14 starts. Tolle led the conference in wins and innings pitched, finishing the season with 97 strikeouts in 85.2 innings. He held opponents to a .245 batting average, racking up eight quality starts and four starts with 10 or more strikeouts.
Offensively, Tolle hit .311 with 13 home runs and 50 RBI, including homers in the midweek against Kansas State, Oklahoma and Oklahoma State. He produced 20 multi-hit games and 18 multi-RBI games this season, highlighted by a five-hit, six-RBI day against Oakland on March 4.
Tolle is the lone representative from the American Athletic Conference on the list of finalists.
FINALISTS
- Jac Caglianone, Sophomore, Florida, SEC
- TJ Fondtain, Junior, San Diego State, Mountain West
- Caden Grice, Junior, Clemson, ACC
- Ryan Ignoffo, Senior, Eastern Illinois, Ohio Valley
- Payton Tolle, Sophomore, Wichita State, American