Three baseball players earn All-MIAA honors

Three Olivet College baseball players have earned 2005 All-Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association (MIAA) honors. Sophomore centerfielder Chris Shelhart (Rolling Meadows, Ill./St. Viator) was named first-team All-MIAA. Junior third baseman James Melvin (Redford-Thurston) and junior pitcher Jonathon VanSon (Macomb/Notre Dame, H.W.) earned second-team honors. All-MIAA honors are based on a player's statistics during conference play.

Shelhart, who also earned 2004 first-team All-MIAA honors, had a .408 batting average with six doubles, a triple and nine home runs for a .868 slugging percentage. He broke the MIAA single-season record with his nine home runs, 26 RBIs and 66 total bases. Shelhart also scored 25 runs and did not commit an error in 47 chances.

Melvin hit .306 with 19 hits and 15 runs scored. VanSon had two wins and a save to go along with a 1.48 ERA in 30 and one-third innings.

Freshman pitcher Adam Bassett (Bellevue), junior outfielder Drew Benoit (Climax-Scotts), senior pitcher Dustin Bolt (St. Joseph), sophomore pitcher Brad Dragicevich (Kalamazoo Comstock), sophomore catcher Nick McIntosh (Petoskey), sophomore outfielder Derek Ott (Kawakawlin/Bay City Western) and junior first baseman Chip Paddock (Galesburg-Augusta) were selected to the coaches' honorable mention team.

The Comets ended the 2005 season with a 21-16 overall record and tied for fourth-place in the MIAA with a 10-11 mark.