By Ron Smith
May 7, 2024
 
(LONG BEACH, Calif.) Westmont Baseball, ranked #17 in the NCAA Division II by the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association, has received several PacWest honors, including the naming of Tyler LaTorre as the PacWest Baseball Coach of the Year.
 
The release also includes the 2024 All-Conference teams with seven Warriors finding themselves honored with a place on an All-PacWest team.
 
Westmont's Daniel Patterson of Round Rock, Texas, was selected as the third baseman on the All-PacWest First Team and Bryan Peck of Palmdale joined him as a starting pitcher. Selected to the second team was second baseman Michael Soper of Jefferson, Oregon, and starting pitcher Ryan Humphreys of Chino Hills. Named to the third team were outfielder Bryce McFeely, starting pitcher Sean Youngerman and relief pitcher Zach Yates.
 
Patterson led the PacWest in slugging percentage at .746 overall and .773 in conference play. His .376 overall batting average ranked sixth in the PacWest while his 1.195 OPS (on base percentage plus slugging percentage) in conference play topped the list. Patterson led the PacWest in runs scored (59), hits (77), doubles (20) and home runs (18).
 
Peck  had the lowest earned run average in conference play at 2.39. He allowed just one home run in the conference season. Over the course of the 2024 season, he posted a record of 8-1 and struck out 75 batters while walking just 17.
 
Soper ranked seventh in the conference in hits with 64 and fifth in runs batted in with 47. Soper's .356 batting average was second on the team. He posted an OPS of .939 and was the only Warrior to play in all 51 games. Soper  recorded 16 extra base hits including six home runs.
 
Humphreys led the PacWest in opponent batters average both overall (.188) and in conference only games (.204). He also led the PacWest in fewest hits allowed (39 overall, 29 in conference) and in fewest runs allowed (22 overall, 14 in conference). He and Peck shared the lead for fewest earned runs allowed in conference play at 13. Humphreys was also the conference's best overall strikeout pitcher, fanning 87 opposing would-be hitters.
 
In conference only games, McFeely ranked fifth in the PacWest in runs scored (31) and eighth in runs batted in (30). His 24 walks tied for first in the PacWest season stats, leading to a .471 on-base percentage in conference play that tied for fifth. McFeely's 1.020 slugging percentage was second on the team, bolstered by his 11 home runs – part of 19 extra base hits. McFeely's 47 RBIs tied Soper for second on the team.
 
Youngerman posted an earned run average of 3.71, giving the Warriors three pitchers in the top 10 in the PacWest. His 69 strikeouts ranked sixth in the conference and he permitted just 15 walks. Youngerman notched a record of 8-1 in his sophomore season and limited opposing batters to a .236 average.
 
Yates missed the first couple of weeks of the season due to injury but made his presence known when he took the mound. The Warriors' closer allowed just five earned runs on the season in 16 2/3 innings of work. His 14 saves – 11 in conference - tied for third in the PacWest.
 
The Warriors finished the season with an overall record of 33-15-3 and finished second in the PacWest standings with a record of 23-8-1. Westmont would have been the number two seed in the PacWest Championship had they been eligible to compete in postseason play. Due to Westmont's transition to NCAA Division II, the Warriors cannot participate in postseason competition until the 2025-26 season.
 
LaTorre is leading the Warriors through that transition, and in the process has earned the respect of his peers who voted him the conference's Coach of the Year. After two years at the helm of the Warrior program, LaTorre has a record of 81-24-3 and a winning percentage of .764.
 
"I think this is such a well-deserved, and special honor that he has earned and I am so thankful that he was recognized in this way," said Westmont Director of Athletics Robert Ruiz. "I imagine that his peers and colleagues recognize how difficult the transition (to NCAA Division II) is.
 
"Coming off such a successful year, Tyler has come into the PacWest, a new level, with over 20 new players that he has recruited. He has been able to not only attain a similar level of success, but also maintain and sustain the culture we have tried to build in the baseball program here. That was the most noticeable thing for me this year in watching the program continue to grow and thrive at a new level under his leadership.
 
"The players have bought into making those cultural things a priority. The byproduct of that was a really successful first season in Division II and a really bright future. I am grateful that Tyler's leadership has made it a priority that the program values and upholds the right standards."