Connor Kopach named to MVC All-Tournament Team

DALLAS, Texas - Southern Illinois shortstop Connor Kopach was named to the Missouri Valley Conference's All-Tournament team, the league announced Sunday afternoon. He is the first Saluki to make the All-Tournament team since 2012.

Kopach went 7-for-13 (.538) with two doubles, a home run, 8 RBIs, two stolen bases and five runs scored in SIU's three MVC Tournament games. He took three walks and was hit twice to post a .667 on-base percentage.

Kopach's clutch hitting in the MVC was sensational. In the tournament opener, with SIU trailing 5-3 in the seventh inning, Kopach hit a 3-run homer to give SIU a 6-5 lead. Then, after SIU fell behind 7-6 in the ninth, Koapch hit a two-out RBI double to send the game to extra innings. In the second game of the tournament, SIU was trailing 4-3 to Evansville in the eighth inning before Kopach again came through with a two-out RBI to tie the game. In the third game, SIU trailed by two with two outs in the ninth inning, and again Kopach came up with a two-run single to tie the game and force extra innings.

Notably, Kopach earned the honor at arguably the MVC's strongest position, shortstop. Missouri State shortstop Jeremy Eierman is a likely first-round draft pick in the MLB Draft. Dallas Baptist shortstop Jimmy Glowenke and Illinois State shortstop Owen Miller are both among the 16 finalists for the Brooks Wallace Award, given to the nation's top shortstop.

Kopach ends his illustrious SIU career among the top-10 in school history in games played, at-bats, doubles, triples, total bases, and stolen bases. He earned All-MVC honors in each of the last three seasons.

Here's your 2018 #MVCBaseball All-Tournament Team -- @MSUBearBaseball Ben Whetstone is your MVP. pic.twitter.com/zGj5lEaUr0
— Missouri Valley Conference (@MVCsports) May 27, 2018

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