FREELAND, Mich.—Trine baseball's Jacob Heller and Drew Palmer have been named to the All-MIAA baseball team, announced by the league Tuesday.
Heller (Fort Wayne, Ind./Prairie Heights) earned All-MIAA First Team honors at first base, while Palmer (Hartford, Wisc./Hartford Union) was named to the All-MIAA Second Team in the outfield. Palmer earns his second consecutive All-MIAA team honor, while Heller received his first nod. Both Heller and Palmer were named MIAA Baseball Player of the Week once this season.
Heller wrapped up the 2017 season on a 15-game hitting streak. In conference play he hit .449, good for second in the MIAA. Heller led the team with a .408 batting average, which put him in seventh in the Thunder season record books. His team-leading on-base percentage of .497 was also good for fifth place in Thunder season history.
Heller also held the top spot for the Thunder in hits with 49 and stolen bases with nine. The sophomore was second on the team in RBIs with 25. With 39 runs scored, Heller holds the fourth spot in the record books. He also broke the team record after being hit by 12 pitches this season.
Palmer continued to be an offensive powerhouse for the Thunder this season. He led the team in slugging percentage (.690), home runs (7), triples (4), doubles (12) and RBI (35). He was second in batting average at .372 and on-base percentage at .475. In the individual season records, this season ranked Palmer fifth in slugging percentage, tied for fourth in RBI, tied for sixth in doubles, third in total bases with 89, second in triples and fourth in home runs. Palmer also tied the season record after being intentionally walked four times.
Palmer took over the top spot in the Trine's Division III career record books in four categories this season including total bases (245), RBI (91), triples (9) and doubles (38). He is second in the Division III era (2004-present) in career home runs with 12, hits with 153 and slugging percentage at .568.
Both Heller and Palmer hit grand slams in Trine's last doubleheader of the season. The duo led Trine to a 19-18 overall record. With a 13-15 MIAA record, Trine tied for fourth place in the league and ended the season on a three-game win streak.