July 22, 2005

WACO, Texas - Four members of Baylor's 2005 baseball team were honored Friday as head coach Steve Smith announced the program's annual post-season awards. Josh Ford took top billing, earning both the Larry Isbell Most Valuable Player Award and the Thornton Sterling Most Valuable Player Award.

Others honored were Ryan LaMotta, who earned the Ted Lyons Most Valuable Pitcher Award, Seth Fortenberry, who earned the Spring Award for Academic Excellence, and Reid Brees, who earned the Fred Harris 110-Percent Award.

Winners of the Larry Isbell Most Valuable Player Award and the Ted Lyons Most Valuable Pitcher Award are determined by cumulative point totals based upon various statistical categories. The Thornton Sterling Most Valuable Player Award is voted upon by the Heart of the Order Club.

The Academic Excellence award is given by the coaching staff to the student-athlete who achieves the most in the classroom during the given semester. Andy Pape was the winner during the Fall 2004 semester. The Fred Harris 110-Percent Award is determined by a vote by the players.

Ford led the Bears in two of the three triple-crown categories, hitting .328 with nine home runs. He also had 41 RBI, 19 doubles, scored 47 runs and led the Bears with a .521 slugging percentage and a .436 on base percentage.

LaMotta was 5-2 with a 2.15 ERA and seven saves. He appeared in 36 games and recorded 82 strikeouts against 21 walks in 79.2 innings pitched. Opponents hit just .207 against LaMotta.

Baylor finished 46-24 in 2005 and reached the national semifinals at the College World Series. In the program's most successful season ever, the Bears were co-champions on the Big 12 Conference, reached the Big 12 Tournament title game, won the NCAA Waco Regional, won the NCAA Waco Super Regional and finished the season ranked fourth nationally.