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Deaver Named MIAA Pitcher of the Year, Abbott Freshman of Year for Hornet Baseball

Emporia, KS, USA / KVOE
Blake Cripps
May 5, 2026 | 2:41 PM
Deaver Named MIAA Pitcher of the Year, Abbott Freshman of Year for Hornet Baseball

Courtesy ESU Athletics.



Emporia State baseball’s Colby Deaver headlines the team’s All-MIAA recognition after being named the Pitcher of the Year Tuesday.  The sophomore pitcher was a unanimous First Team honoree after leading the county with a 1.45 ERA, a 0.84 WHIP, and giving up just 1.03 walks per nine innings.  Deaver is the first ESU Pitcher of the Year since Seth Holman.  Logan Myers, Noah, Steele, and Grant Huffman all joined Deaver on the first team with Myers earning unanimous honors and a Gold Glove at second base.  He hit .411 this season which ranked fourth in the league while clubbing 21 doubles.  Steele hit .397 while finishing third in the league with 16 home runs.  Huffman led ‘The Association’ with eight saves and tied for the seventh most in the country to go along with his 1.64 ERA and WHIP of 0.91.  Evan Abbott received Third Team honors and was named the MIAA Freshman of the Year, the third time in the last five seasons a Hornet has garnered that honor.  Abbott hit .345 with a .421 on base percentage in 2026.  Central Oklahoma is hosting the 2026 MIAA Tournament beginning Wednesday.  ESU finished sixth in the MIAA standings and will face No. 3 seed Missouri Southern in the quarterfinals Thursday at 7:00 p.m.