By The Hays Daily News

The Fort Hays State University baseball team had eight players named to the Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association all-conference team, including two first-team selections and the conference's freshman of the year.

Junior first baseman Dusty Washburn, the only returning player who batted higher than .234 in 2007, hit .383 with a team-high 19 homers, 59 RBIs and a .762 slugging percentage. Last year, Washburn garnered honorable mention honors at designated hitter.

Junior Brett Becker was a first-team selection as the conference's utlity player. He played in 37 games combined at second, third, shortstop and designated hitter. He batted .380 with eight homers and 35 RBIs and led the team with six triples, one shy of the school record.

Freshman Ryan Majercik was named the conference's Freshman of the Year after he batted .379 with eight homers and 42 RBIs. Majercik, the team's catcher, also led the Tigers with 27 walks and earned honorable mention honors.

Sophomore right fielder Greg Bieker was a second-team selection. He led the Tigers in batting average (.399), doubles (21) and tied for the team lead with 79 hits. He also ranked second on the team with 14 homers and 59 RBIs.

Including Majerick, the Tigers placed five players on the honorable mention teams. Senior shortstop Brent Biggs (team-leading 58 runs scored) and sophomore third baseman Tyler Robbins (.343 average. 57 RBIs) were the position players that earned honorable mention honors.

Sophomore left-hander Matt Augustine and junior left-hander Eric Gilliland both were honorable mention picks as pitchers. Gilliland led the team in innings pitched (78 2/3), strikeouts (66) and complete games (three).

Augustine tied for the team lead in wins (five) and was second on the team in strikeouts (50).

Fort Hays finished the season 28-30 and lost to Central Missouri in the semifinals of the postseason conference tournament. The Tigers set a school single-season record with 88 homers.