ROLLA, Mo. – With the 2019-20 athletic season completed, we want to take a look back at the past decade and determine the all-decade teams for the Miner squads during the course of the 2010s.  Today's first installment in this series will look at the top Miner baseball players, by position, over the last decade.

The quote listed below each player's profile is a comment from the individual talking about his favorite memory while being at Missouri S&T and where that individual lives today.
 

	Catcher: Josh Caffrey (2011-12) – Caffrey batted .321 and drove in 60 runs during his two seasons in a Miner uniform, including a .347 mark during the 2011 season when the Miners won their first GLVC West Division title and reached the NCAA Division II Midwest Regional.  He was also outstanding in his work behind the plate, throwing out 33 base runners attempting to steal and guiding the S&T pitching staff to a 3.64 earned run average during that span.  Caffrey earned All-GLVC honors in both seasons with the Miners. "I'd have to say one of the best memories was watching our name get called and putting up S&T's first W in the tournament!"  Caffrey currently lives in Burlington, Iowa.
	First Base: Tim Lira (Granger, IN/Penn) (2017-19) – Lira hit .331 in his three seasons on the field for the Miners and had the best power numbers at the position with nine home runs, 58 runs batted in and a .480 slugging percentage.  He batted .362 during the 2018 season and led S&T with seven home runs a year later, a season in which he tied the S&T school record with five hits in a game. "Without a doubt, my best memory was upsetting #4 Illinois Springfield in the conference tournament being the eight seed. We barely made our way into the tournament at all, but beating UIS was the cherry on top."  Lira, who just graduated last weekend from Missouri S&T, will reside in Washington, Ind.
	Second Base: Michael Lockett (2012-14) – Lockett batted .310 with 67 runs batted in and 10 stolen bases with the Miners, while also recording a career .955 fielding percentage.   During the 2013 season, he committed only two errors in 197 chances in the field as he earned All-GLVC and All-Midwest region honors.  He is one of 12 players in Miner history with a five-hit game to his credit, four of them being doubles to set an S&T single game record. "My best memory at S&T was Opening Day 2012 in Rolla against Truman State. As it was my first collegiate game, there was a lot of nervous energy and excitement in the air before first pitch, and even more when I saw my name in the lineup. I picked up my first hit in Game 1, which inspired the realization that I could hold my own at this level."  Lockett currently lives in Columbia, Md.
	Third Base: Zac Carter (2010-11) -- Carter's career at S&T spanned over parts of two decades, but in the two seasons of the 2010s, he batted .323 and hit 10 home runs.  He had a team-high four home runs in the 2011 season to help lead the Miners to the GLVC West title and an NCAA Tournament berth.  Carter, an All-GLVC selection in 2010, also drove in 63 runs in his last two seasons and also stole 20 bases. "My Favorite memory has to be the announcement night for the Midwest Regional without a doubt. It was the perfect gift to the team and seniors who bought into the program for many years and were able to pass the winning torch on to future Miner baseball players."  Carter currently lives in Ballwin, Mo.
	Shortstop: Nick Ulrich (2013-16) – Ulrich provided much of the pop in the lineup for the Miners' 2016 squad that captured a GLVC West title and reached the championship game of the NCAA Midwest Regional.  In that season, he batted a career-best .341 and set S&T single season records with 10 homers and 63 runs batted in; he hit three of those home runs in the regional and also had a walk-off hit as he was named to the all-tournament team.  Ulrich, who also earned All-GLVC honors, finished his 168-game S&T career with 16 home runs, 115 runs batted in, a .456 slugging percentage and a fielding percentage of .945. "Best memory is definitely walking off Quincy in the regional tournament, knocking it out of the tournament on its home field. That entire playoff run was probably the most exciting baseball I ever played and something I will remember forever!"  Ulrich currently lives in Jacksonville, Fla.
	Outfielder: Tyler Bodenstab (2013-16) – A .324 hitter in his four seasons at S&T, Bodenstab finished his career as the Miners' all-time leader in hits with 227 and stolen bases with 68 as he was a two-time All-GLVC selection.  He batted .368 during the 2016 campaign with a school record 82 hits and also stole 19 bases out of the leadoff spot in the lineup.  He also committed only six errors defensively in 441 career chances. "Favorite team moment … beating Quincy during regionals. Beating them on their home field, when they were definitely the favorite to come out of our region."  Bodenstab currently lives in Independence, Mo.
	Outfielder: Eli Miller (2016-17) – Miller hit .385 in the two seasons he played for the Miners, including a team-leading .400 mark in 2016 when he recorded 80 hits and led S&T with 24 stolen bases.  Miller also stole 24 more bases the following year and finished with career totals of 145 hits, 64 runs batted in and 13 triples – including a school record eight in the 2016 campaign -- as he earned his second straight All-GLVC award.  He was an All-Midwest region selection following the 2016 season and is the third member of this team with a five-hit game on his resume. "Being a part of one of the most competitive teams I've ever been with and the walk off win over Quincy in the 2016 regionals.  The entire regional -- how we fought from the loser's bracket to try and stay alive with the two consecutive walk-off wins against Grand Valley State and Quincy."  Miller currently resides in Quincy, Ill.
	Outfielder: Lee Voth-Gaeddert (2011-12) – Voth-Gaeddert's two seasons with the Miners, both of which saw S&T win GLVC West Division titles, saw him bat .349 over that span with 64 driven home in just 95 games.  He hit .364 and slugged .494 in the 2012 campaign and closed his career – in which he earned All-GLVC and all-region laurels – with 117 hits and 34 stolen bases.  He was also a solid defensive player who made one of the most memorable plays in the field during the 2011 Midwest Regional when he reached beyond the wall to bring back a potential home run.
	Utility: Reed Brown (2012-15) – Brown's versatility in the Miner lineup was shown as he started games at first and third base during his career, saw time as the Miners' designated hitter and also started four games on the mound among his 36 overall pitching appearances.  And during those four seasons that saw him earn All-GLVC honors on two occasions, Brown batted .306 with 88 runs batted in and posted a .952 fielding percentage on the offensive side.  As a pitcher, he went 4-1 with 12 saves in those 36 outings, with all 12 saves coming in his final two seasons. "My best memory at Missouri S&T was growing up and learning alongside the team as well as living with them in the "Nine Man" house. This group of guys will forever be my best friends and it is all thanks to the Missouri S&T baseball team."  Brown currently lives in Oklahoma City, Okla.
	Designated Hitter: Trevor Karbowski (2014-16) – In three seasons with the Miners, Karbowski batted .313 with 64 runs batted in and 25 stolen bases.  He spent most of the 2016 season in that role and batted .338 with a home run and 21 runs batted in, after hitting .339 the previous year with 24 runs driven in.  He recorded a career .382 slugging percentage and .392 on-base percentage – he was over .400 in the latter category in both his junior and senior seasons. "Piling up wins during the entire 2016 record breaking season with my fellow senior teammates in a year in which so little was expected of us from outsiders. From winning the GLVC West title, setting team school records in wins and multiple other offensive records, knocking out the regional #3 seed Ashland, #2 seed Grand Valley State, then walking off the #1 seed Quincy on its home-field the next day which lead to our runner up finish in the Midwest Regional and allowed me my opportunity to make the All-Midwest Regional team."  Karbowski currently lives in Pinconning, Mich.
	Starting Pitcher: Zack Gronek (2010-12) – After pitching exclusively out of the bullpen in the 2010 season, Gronek returned to the starting rotation the following year and put together arguably the two best seasons by a Miner starting pitcher in history, earning All-GLVC and all-region honors in both of those years.  In 2011, he went 10-1 with 2.38 earned run average which was highlighted with a five-hit shutout in the Miners' NCAA Midwest Regional opener against defending national champion Southern Indiana.  Gronek proceeded to go 12-1 the following season with a 3.23 ERA and struck out 70 hitters in 92 innings of work.  He recorded four complete game shutouts in his career. "My favorite S&T memory has to be one that I share with many! My junior year in 2011 was my most memorable season at S&T. That team was very special as we had a great group of seniors leading the way! We won the GLVC West in the regular season and got a win in the GLVC tourney and topped it off with a berth to the NCAA tournament. We got to face the defending national champions in game one and shut them out for the programs first win ever in the NCAA Tournament."  Gronek currently lives in St. Charles, Mo.
	Starting Pitcher: Aaron Bedsworth (2014-16) – Bedsworth, a two-time All-GLVC selection and All-Midwest region choice in 2016, went 16-12 in his three seasons at S&T with a 3.80 earned run average and 153 strikeouts in 196 2/3 innings.  His 75 strikeouts during the 2016 campaign were the second-most in a season in school history, as he posted an 8-4 record in 90 innings of work. "My best memory other than walking off Quincy in regionals is waking up every Saturday morning with butterflies in my stomach knowing I get the opportunity to go toe to toe, man v man, with whoever was in front of my glove laces. Fortunately, I had a good team full of great people behind me. Miss those guys."  Bedsworth currently lives in New Bloomfeld, Mo.
	Starting Pitcher: Dan Borek (2015-18) – Borek was a nine-game winner for the Miners during the 2016 season – one of his two All-GLVC campaigns – and was the winning pitcher in the first of S&T's four wins at the NCAA Midwest Regional that season.  He went 19-13 as a Miner with a 4.57 career ERA and had one of the most impressive stretches ever by a Miner pitcher in 2018, when he allowed just one run over a span of three GLVC wins and retired 60 of 67 hitters over a run of nearly three contests. "My best memory from S&T is split between running 24 poles because we committed 24 errors in practice after our sloppy weekend at Truman my freshman year and walking off Quincy on their own field, in their own dugout. Honestly going to have to go with Quincy on this one. Couldn't have asked for a more rewarding game than that one."  Borek currently lives in Early, Texas.
	Starting Pitcher: Dalton Erger (Imperial, MO/Seckman) (2016-19) – Erger went 14-10 over his four years at S&T with 181 strikeouts in 201 innings, the third-most strikeouts in a career by a Miner hurler.  As a starter, he went 11-8 in that role and recorded a 3.20 earned run average over his final two seasons, helping him land a spot on the All-GLVC first-team in 2019.  Erger's signature win was a three-hit effort over seven innings with eight strikeouts to lead the Miners to an opening round win at the 2018 GLVC Tournament over fourth-ranked Illinois Springfield. "My favorite memory is the 2016 NCAA Regional, especially the back-to-back walk-off wins. It was the most high pressure and fun baseball I was ever a part of."  Erger currently lives in St. Louis.
	Relief Pitcher: Harry Dunsford (2010-13) – Dunsford took on the role of closer for the Miners during the 2011 season and recorded six saves down the stretch to help the Miners claim the GLVC West championship.  The following season, he set a school record with 14 saves and finished his career with 21.  He had a 3.28 earned run average in his career and struck out 63 hitters in 82 1/3 innings, holding opposing hitters to a .245 batting average along the way. "It is hard to narrow down just one memory, but I would say I often reflect back on the beautiful spring days after class knowing that the rest of my day I have nothing to worry about except playing ball, whether at practice or a game.  There is nothing better than hanging with your boys.  For all of the future and current players I urge you not to take your time at Missouri S&T for granted.  The next time you are at practice or before a game, taking batting practice or shagging balls in the outfield, take a quick second to stop and take it all in and think about where you are right then and there.  Hang on to that memory because there is nothing better in the world."  Dunsford currently lives in Imperial, Mo.
	Relief Pitcher: Stuart Martin (Ajax, ON/Ajax) (2017-19) – Martin was one of two Miner relief pitchers named to the All-GLVC team in 2019, which was a standout season for the lefthander.  In 18 appearances out of the bullpen, opposing hitters managed just a .186 average against Martin as he fanned 27 hitters in his 30 innings that season.  Martin got his first big opportunity by getting three saves late in the 2017 campaign, then fanned 16 in 19 2/3 innings the following season.  He allowed a .207 average to the hitters he faced throughout his S&T career as he pitched in 53 games. "My best memory was pitching on Senior Day." Martin currently lives in Ajax, Ontario.