Palmer selected to All-WIAC baseball first team
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MENOMONIE — In a season that saw the UW-Stout baseball team go deeper into the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athlete Conference (WIAC) Championship tournament and post their best season record since 2007, the Blue Devils had four players selected to the 2021 All-WIAC Baseball team.
Senior left-handed pitcher James Palmer was named a first team selection.
Palmer will be remembered for being the first Blue Devil to pitch a nine inning no-hitter when he struck out nine against UW-Platteville, May 4, in Menomonie. But the no-hitter was one of many season highlights for the southpaw from Boyceville. A two-time WIAC pitcher of the week, Palmer was named National Collegiate Baseball Writer’s Association (NCBWA) Division III Pitcher of the Week after his no-hitter.
Palmer posted a 7-3 overall record and threw two shutouts and combined with the bullpen in two other shutouts. Palmer set a school record for most strikeouts in a single season with 76, second in the WIAC, was third in the WIAC in ERA (1.83), second in innings pitched (68.2), second in games started (10), third in complete games (2) and third in opponent batting average (.180). Throughout the season, Palmer recorded 10 or more strikeouts three times, recording 11 against UW-Eau Claire, April 9 in five innings, 11 against Finlandia in six innings, May 15, and 10 against Eau Claire, March 27. Palmer twice recorded nine strikeouts in single game and in 239 at-bats, allowed only 13 extra-base hits, with no home runs allowed.
Also joining Palmer on the first team were first baseman Kasey Bass and shortstop Charlie Szykowny while right fielder Hunter Merrill was an honorable mention pick. Senior outfielder Dan Deis was named to the All-Sportsmanship Team.
The Blue Devils finished the season at 23-19 overall, 16-12 in the WIAC and advanced to the semi-finals of the WIAC Championship tournament.
