MANKATO, Minn. - D3baseball.com and ABCA/Rawlings announced their Division III baseball All-Region awards on Tuesday morning and four Bethany Lutheran baseball players hauled in honors. Trent Ash, Eli Fest, Xander Meissner, and Aidan Russell all earned accolades from at least one of the two organizations, with Meissner also earning D3baseball.com Region 9 Rookie of the Year. 

Ash earned First Team honors from both organizations after a standout sophomore season. The Springville, Utah native ranked in the top seven nationally in both wins (11) and strikeouts (108). His 3.18 ERA was the second-best in the UMAC, while his opponent batting average of .196 led the conference by a wide margin—the next best mark was .226. Ash's 11 wins set a new single-season program record, and his 82 innings pitched and 108 strikeouts were also program bests for a single season.

Fest joined Ash on the ABCA/Rawlings First Team, concluding a tremendous career at Bethany. He broke his own single-season record for on-base percentage, reaching at a .526 clip, and finishes his career with a .496 OBP—the highest in program history. Fest batted .417 this season, with his 61 runs scored and 34 stolen bases both setting new single-season program records.

Meissner earned Third Team honors from both D3baseball.com and ABCA/Rawlings, with D3baseball also naming him Regional Rookie of the Year. The freshman ranked in the top five nationally among rookies in home runs (12), slugging percentage (.712), and RBIs (57)—all of which led the team. Meissner hit .372 in his debut season, with his home run total setting a new single-season program record. His slugging percentage, RBIs, and 17 doubles all rank second in program history.

Russell closed out his career with a Second Team nod from D3baseball.com and a Third Team selection from ABCA/Rawlings. The UMAC Player of the Year hit .401 on the season, adding 12 doubles, seven home runs, 54 runs scored, and 53 RBIs. He leaves Bethany at the top of five major career batting categories: hits (194), runs scored (161), home runs (24), RBIs (164), and total bases (312).

D3Baseball.com Release

ABCA/Rawlings Release