Do what he could for the team was what Aaron Burke came into the 2010 baseball season thinking. He wanted to contribute.
The freshman right-handed pitcher from Shawnee contributed alright.
Burke led the nation with a 0.57 Earned Run Average becoming the Red Devils’ closer. Burke worked his way from a set-up pitcher out of the bullpen to the shutdown pitcher from the bullpen.
“When we needed to close out a game, we’d bring in Aaron. He’s lights out,” said Val McLean, ACCC head baseball coach.
For his contributions to the Red Devils this season, Burke was named Jayhawk Eastern Division Freshman of the Year by the Jayhawk East coaches. He was named to the 2010 All-Jayhawk East first team as a pitcher.
Burke led the Red Devils in saves with eight plus had a team-leading 55 strikeouts. He was 3-1 on the mound.
Burke allowed 16 runs but only four were earned runs. He walked 21 batters and hit nine.
In an unexpected average year for Allen County baseball, Burke was way above average. Burke’s work earned him a spot on the All-Region VI first team as a pitcher.
“I hoped to become the team’s closer before I left here. I started in the bullpen and things just worked out for me to take that position,” Burke said.
“My fastball was working well.”
McLean described Burke as a submariner. He said Burke could throw from down under motion.
Allen County went 18-18 in the Jayhawk East and 27-24 overall. The Red Devils finished in fifth place.
Three Red Devils garnered Jayhawk Eastern Division honorable mention.
Sophomore first baseman Connor McCrite of Topeka led the Red Devils with a .403 batting average. He scored 35 runs and drove in 26.
McCrite had 11 doubles, two triples and two home runs among his 64 hits. He led the Red Devils in stolen bases, going 23 of 27 in attempts.
McCrite has signed to play baseball for University of Nebraska-Omaha next year.
Sophomore Ryan Fike played in the ACCC outfield and batted .317. He led the team with six home runs. He also had 13 doubles in his 44 hits.
Fike,drove in 32 runs and scored 37. He had just four errors defensively on the season.
Fike is from Carbondale. He said he was undecided where is going next year.
Freshman Brayden Brumley of Ardmore, Okla., was the Red Devils’ shortstop. He had a fielding average of .913 with 14 errors.
Brumley was Allen County’s RBI leader with 38 while hitting at a .347 clip. He scored 36 runs. He hit 12 doubles, two triples and three home runs. He also had 11 stolen bases in 14 attempts.
ACCC’s Burke is Jayhawk East Freshman of the Year
