McKinstry and Borglin share MVP honors at baseball awards banquet


After an evening filled with awards and reflections on the past season, sophomore shortstop Zach McKinstry and junior first baseman Alex Borglin took home the co-Most Valuable Player award at the 2016 Central Michigan baseball banquet. 

McKinstry, who was selected in the Major League Baseball draft last weekend by the Los Angeles Dodgers, finished his sophomore campaign with a .325 batting average, 79 hits and 12 stolen bases. He led the team in all three categories. 


Borglin, along with McKinstry, started and played in all 62 games for Head Coach Steve Jaksa and the Chippewas in 2016. Borglin also held a .299 batting average along with 72 hits and 27 RBIs. He also had just two errors all season to hold a .996 fielding percentage.

Senior outfielder Ryan Heeke earned team captain at the banquet, as well as the Chippewa Award, which is given to a player who represents the CMU baseball mission statement the most. He also was the most improved player, along with junior relief pitcher Jordan Grosjean. 

Heeke played in 53 games for CMU and batted .291 with 44 hits and 22 RBIs, while Grosjean made the most appearances on the mound for the Chippewas with 26 and had an ERA of 3.77. 

Heeke, sophomore infielder/pitcher Colton Bradley and freshman pitcher Grant Wolfram all won academic awards. Heeke had the highest GPA at 3.78, while Bradley had the highest GPA for all underclassmen at 3.51 and Wolfram had the highest GPA among freshman with a 3.35.

Coach Jaksa, as well as his staff, vote on who is awarded the Chippewa Award, while the players vote on the MVP and most improved player awards.

The Chippewas lost in the Mid-American Conference Semifinals to rival Western Michigan, who went on to beat top-seeded Kent State in the MAC Tournament Finals to claim a spot in the NCAA Tournament. The Chippewas finished their season at 24-37 and 12-12 in the MAC. 

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