Seven Trojans earn all-conference honors

Seven members of the Colby Community College baseball team received recognition from the Kansas Community College Jayhawk Conference for their play this season, with four players also garnering All-Region VI honors.

"We are very proud of all of these young men," said Trojans head coach Ryan Carter. "It is always special to receive recognition from the other coaches and to get the recognition regionally. We work hard as a program to recruit high caliber athletes as well as great young men."

Third baseman Matt Coutney, utility player Blake Gallagher, pitcher Logan Hofmann, second baseman Enok Perez, and catcher Cameron Tilly were first-team selections. Hofmann was also voted pitcher of the year in the western division. Outfielder Jason Evans made the second team, and outfielder Tucker Zdunich was named honorable mention.

All-Region VI first team honors went to Coutney, Perez, and Hofmann, and Tilly was second team all-region. Tilly also earned a spot on the Region VI Gold Glove Team.

Coutney was all-conference and all-region for the second time after being named the 2018 conference freshman of the year and a Region VI Gold Glove winner. In his sophomore campaign, he led the western division with a .422 batting average and 23 doubles. He drove in 62 runs and tied for third in the conference with 14 home runs. From Alberta, Canada, Coutney is headed to Norfolk, Va., to play for Division I Old Dominion University.

Gallagher hails from New Brunswick, Canada. He posted a .324 average with 10 home runs and 43 RBIs. He logged time at first base, second base and shortstop, and had a .977 fielding percentage.

On the mound, Saskatchewan, Canada's Hofmann is a two-time first team all-conference and all-region selection. In 2019, he led the Jayhawk in strikeouts (128) and innings pitched (89.2). He went 8-4 and ranked second in the West with a 3.11 ERA. In the fall he will continue his education and baseball career at Northwestern State University, a Division I program in Natchitoches, La.

Perez also makes a return to the KJCCC first team. From Bayoman, Puerto Rico, he hit .366 and drove in 52. His 78 hits and 14 home runs were both the second most on the team.

Behind the plate, Tilly led the Trojans with 17 home runs and 68 RBIs. As a sophomore from Canberra, Australia, he hit .377 and was third on the team with 77 hits.

Evans hails from Jonesboro, La. Making his second trip to the KJCCC second team, he had a .324 average with four home runs and 32 RBIs. He was second on the team with 36 walks and third with six stolen bases.

Playing most of the time in left field, Zdunich batted .335 while hitting eight home runs and driving in 37. In 53 games, the freshman from Alberta, Canada, collected 56 hits.

As a team, the Trojans posted a record of 37-22 and advanced to the Central District semifinals.

"These young men continue to set the bar high, and it is up to our coaching staff to match it," Carter added. "These awards are a little icing on the cake to an already great year."