LAS VEGAS (UNLVRebels.com) – The UNLV baseball team was named the 2022 regular-season champions for the fourth time in program history. The Hustlin' Rebels' performance on the field was rightfully recognized, as seventh-year head coach Stan Stolte was named the MW's Coach of the Year, while Santino Panaro was selected as the MW's Co-Freshman of the Year along with Irvin Weems from San Diego State. 

Rylan Charles, Austin Kryszczuk and Hank Zeisler were tabbed to the All-MW First Team, while Diego Alarcon and Edarian Williams were named to the All-MW Second Team. Rounding out the Scarlet & Gray's awardees, Josh Ibarra was an Honorable Mention honoree for pitchers. 

Statistically speaking, Stolte's Rebels led the MW and the NCAA in hits with 702, they also led in doubles (142) and batting average (.331). They sit on top of the conference with 525 runs scored, 484 RBI, slugging percentage (.531) and on-base percentage (.418). 

Panaro, on the other hand, claimed the MW Freshman of the Week three times throughout the season (March 14, 26 and April 4). The Las Vegas native started in 37 games, with 33 starts as the designated hitter and four in right field. He posted a .362 batting average with 55 hits, 27 RBI and 36 runs. The freshman has six doubles on the year, one triple and only nine strikeouts per 152 at bats which puts him at fifth in the NCAA for toughest to strike out. Defensively, he recorded a 1.000 fielding percentage with 7 putouts. 

Charles, a Reno native, was selected to the All-MW Team after consistently leading the nation and the conference with 98 hits this season, which puts him at second in the single-season program record book UNLV. The sophomore center fielder started in 55 games, 54 at center field and one as the designated hitter. He posted a .392 batting average with 98 hits, 46 RBI and 62 runs. 24 of his hit haul went for extra bases, with six home runs, 16 doubles and two triples. He currently sits tied for first in the NCAA and the MW for hits, ranks third in the NCAA for hits per game (1.78) and leads the conference in at bats (250). Defensively, Rylan recorded a .994 fielding average with only one error in a total of 164 chances (158 putouts and five assists).

Kryszczuk was elevated to the All-MW Team this season after being named Freshman All-American last season. The sophomore left fielder started in all 56 games in left field. Austin recorded a total of 78 hits, 58 RBI and 12 home runs, garnering a .342 batting average. More impressively, almost half of his hits went for extra bases with 12 home runs, 20 doubles and three triples. The Centennial high school graduate sits fifth in the nation and second in the conference in runs with 73, ranks fourth in MW for doubles (20), leads the conference in walks (44) and sits tied for fifth in RBI (58). In left field, he posted a .981 fielding percentage with only two errors in a total of 108 chances (99 putouts and seven assists). 

Hank Zeisler was selected to the All-MW team after pacing the Scarlet & Gray offensively this season in nearly every category. The senior from Kenfield, California, started at first base for 54 games. He posted a team-high .399 batting average with 87 hits, 72 RBI and 65 runs. Almost half of Zeisler's hits went for extra bases with a team-high 14 home runs, 17 doubles and four triples. Currently, he ranks 14th in the nation and second in the conference for batting average, he leads the MW in slugging percentage (.706), OPS (1.202) and sits eighth in the NCAA but leads the conference in RBI (72). At first base, he posted a .986 fielding percentage with six errors per 432 chances (396 putouts and 30 assists). 

Edarian Williams was selected to the All-MW Second Team for the second consecutive year. After being named #19 of the top 50 second baseman preseason poll by D1Baseball, the senior started in all 56 games at second base where he posted a .320 batting average with 73 hits, 67 RBI and 54 runs. 28 of his hit haul were for extra bases, 11 home runs, 11 doubles and six triples. Currently, Williams sits second in the conference for RBI, second in triples (6), fourth in walks (36) and sits fifth in the MW for at bats (220). Defensively, he recorded 104 putouts and 171 assists. 

Senior, Diego Alarcon, was also selected to the All-MW Second Team with a .351 batting average with 84 hits, 52 RBI and 74 runs scored for the Hustlin' Rebels. 29 of his hit haul were for extra bases with 10 home runs, 18 doubles and one triple. The third baseman started in 55 games, 53 of them at third base and two at shortstop. He sits third in the nation and first in the MW in runs scored (74) 16th in the nation and third in the conference for hits (84) and sits second for at bats (228). Alarcon also recorded 40 putouts and 103 assists.

Senior RHP Josh Ibarra was named to the honorable mention All-MW team after ending the regular-season with an 11-2 record and a 5.53 ERA. He has pitched a total of 68.1 innings, allowing 77 hits, 42 earned runs, 28 walks and recorded 62 strikeouts on the season. 

REGULAR SEASON CHAMPIONS
The Scarlet & Gray was awarded the MW regular season title Saturday night, for just the fourth time in program history. The previous titles date back to 2003, 2005 and 2014.

TOURNAMENT CENTRAL
The winner of tonight's game at 6 will go on to play the winner of game one Friday night at 6 p.m., while both teams that fell will play each other Friday afternoon at 1:30 p.m.

Game five will begin Saturday at 1:30 p.m. with the winner of game three and the loser of game four, while the final game will be played at 6 p.m. with the winner of games four and five. 

Game seven will be played Sunday at 1 p.m. (if necessary) with the winner and loser of game six. 

-UNLV-