Eickmeyer, Johnson, Tutland, Vukovich Win State League Honors

The Wisconsin State League’s 2012 batting champion Tyler Eickmeyer of the Kenosha Kings was selected the season’s Most Valuable Player by vote of the league managers.

Eickmeyer, who hit .407 to reign as the league’s only .400 hitter helped Kenosha to a second place finish behind the perennial champion Lombard Orioles.

Eickmeyer led the league in hits, 33, and in doubles, 8.

He beat out Eau Claire’s Nolan Fadness, who won the MVP honor in 2011, by five points. Lombard’s Ryan Tutland, who was named Rookie of the Year, finished third in MVP voting with eight points. Kenosha’s Kyle Frye got three points and teammate Billy Johnson one.

The Kings Randy Johnson was elected Most Valuable Pitcher for the second straight year. Johnson had a 6-1 record with three shutouts and a 1.24 earned run average. He completed all seven of his starts, both league highs, and also led the league in innings pitched, 51; strikeouts, 53; wins, and shutouts.

Johnson received 19 voting points to win the honor to 12 for runner-up Ben Stanczyk of Sheboygan, who led the league in earned run average, 0.93. Lombard’s Zach Morton got nine points and Kenosha’s Travis Vanderwall and Oshkosh’s Tyler Willman both got one.

Tutland, the crackerjack third baseman of the champion Orioles, won the Rookie of the Year title with 19 points. He hit .397 and led the league in slugging percentage at .651. Eau Claire’s Brian Burman was runner-up in rookie voting with 11 points. Addison’s Luke Lucchetti and Manitowoc’s Jason McCurry each got two and Sheboygan’s Jon Capasso and Grant Evans both one.

Jeff Vukovich, skipper of the champion Orioles won the Manager of the Year honor with 16 points. Kenosha’s Tim Pulizzano was runner-up with 14 points, followed by Oshkosh’s Luke Westphal with nine, Eau Claire’s Mark McHorney with two and Addison’s Larry Kurkowski with one. For Vukovich, it was the sixth straight year he was named top manager and the 10th time in his career.

Eickmeyer, Randy Johnson and Fadness were unanimous all-league selections. The 2012 all-league team follows:

First Team
1B – John Hasser (Kenosha Kings)
2B – JT Schneider (Kenosha Kings)
3B – Ryan Tutland (Lombard Orioles)
SS – * Nolan Fadness (Eau Claire Cavaliers)
C – Billy Johnson (Kenosha Kings)
OF – * Tyler Eickmeyer (Kenosha Kings)
OF – Kyle Frye (Kenosha Kings)
OF – Rick Angel (Lombard Orioles)
OF – Luke Lucchetti (Addison Braves)
DH – Jason Dennis (Kenosha Kings)
LHP – Jason McCurry (Manitowoc Bandits)
RHP – * Randy Johnson (Kenosha Kings)

Second Team
1B – Jake McIlquham (Eau Claire Cavaliers)
2B – Bobby Kachel (Oshkosh Giants)
3B – Harry Steldt (Sheboygan A’s)
SS – Andrew Molloy (Addison Braves)
C – Brian Burman (Eau Claire Cavaliers)
OF – Dan Dispenza (Lombard Orioles)
OF – Jon Capasso (Sheboygan A’s)
OF – Tim Patzman (Sheboygan A’s)
OF – Andrew Wilson (Manitowoc Bandits)
DH – Grant Evans (Sheboygan A’s)
DH – Ben Kincaid (Eau Claire Cavaliers)
LHP – Brandon Winfield (Sheboygan A’s)
RHP – Zach Morton (Lombard Orioles)
RHP – Ben Stanczyk (Sheboygan A’s)

* – Unanimous Selection

Awards will be presented at the league Awards and Hall of Fame dinner on Saturday, Jan. 26, in the Heritage House at The Bull at Pinehurst Farms in Sheboygan Falls.