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Butler's Dale Mueller Named Horizon League Baseball Player of the Year
May 24, 2005 Butler senior Dale Mueller was named the 2005 Horizon League Baseball Player of the Year by a vote of league baseball coaches. The award was announced at the league's annual pre-tournament banquet, held on the Butler University campus on Tuesday, May 24. Butler will be the host for the 2005 Horizon League Baseball Championship at Victory Field in Indianapolis, May 25-29. Mueller became just the second player in Butler baseball history to be named Horizon League Player of the Year. Catcher Justin Beasley earned the same honor for the Bulldogs in 1996 and again in 1998. Mueller, a career .360 hitter, is currently on pace to break Beasley's school record for career batting average (.356). A native of LaCrosse, Wis., Mueller also became the first player in Butler history and one of just seven players in league history to earn first team All-Horizon League honors three times! He was a first team all-league pick in 2003 and again in 2004. The Butler outfielder currently ranks second in the league in hitting with a .371 batting average, and he's second in the league in total hits with 65. He'll take a school record 279 career hits into Butler's first round tournament game against UW-Milwaukee at 3 p.m. (CDT) on Wednesday, May 25. Mueller was one of three Butler players honored on the all-league team. Freshman second baseman Joe Pauley earned second team all-league recognition, while freshman first baseman Alex Rinearson was picked to the league All-Newcomer team. Rinearson currently leads the league in hitting with a .388 average, while Pauley is batting .338. Youngstown State lefthander Justin Thomas was selected as the league's Pitcher of the Year, while UW-Milwaukee right-handed pitcher Aaron Sorensen was named Newcomer of the Year. Mike Dee, coach of regular season champ UIC, was tabbed league Coach of the Year.
The tournament banquet capped an award-filled day for Mueller. Earlier in the day, Butler head coach Steve Farley announced this year's team awards. Mueller was selected as Butler's Most Valuable Player and as the team's Defensive Player of the Year. He also shared Offensive Player of the Year recognition with Rinearson. Pauley was named Freshman of the Year, while junior lefthander Craig Costello was chosen Pitcher of the Year. Senior outfielder Jonathan Day was selected by his teammates to receive the team's Mental Attitude Award. |
