16 Jul 2025 Two Harding pitchers named to All-Natural State Team

Natural State Baseball is pleased to announce its 2025 All-Arkansas Collegiate Team and Awards. Little Rock is the team of the year. The Trojans captured the nation’s attention in a historic run at the end of the season, taking LSU to a 7th game in the Baton Rouge Regional. Little Rock won five games over four days to win the Ohio Valley Conference tournament to make the NCAA tournament, and won games against Rhode Island and Dallas Baptist before defeating LSU and forcing a deciding regional final. 2025 was the first time in fourteen years that the Trojans made the NCAA tournament.

Griff Smith at Ecclesia College is the coach of the year. The Royals were Central Southwest Conference Champions for the first time in school history and boasted the best winning percentage in school history. Smith joined the Ecclesia program in 2023 as recruiting coordinator and was promoted to head coach this year at just 23 years old. The team had a 13-29 record two years ago and was 33-14 this year. The royals had 15 All-Conference winners, 4 Gold Glove winners, 2 All-Region winners and the Conference Coach of the Year in Smith.

The NSB Player of the Year is Wehiwa Aloy from the University of Arkansas. The Razorbacks junior short stop is a finalist for the Golden Spikes Award and helped lead his team to the College World Series. Aloy hit .350 in 2025, with a team high 21 home runs. He also collected 19 doubles, 2 triples, and 68 RBI.

Maddox Long of Harding is the NSB Pitcher of the Year. Long was 11-3 on the mound, with a 2.16 ERA and 122 strikeouts in 108 1/3 innings. Long helped the Bisons achieve a 41-19 record and a number 30 ranking in the final ABCA Poll, only the second time in program history that Harding has appeared in the rankings. Long is also the winner of the NSB Natural Award, given to an outstanding season performance by a player from the state of Arkansas. He is a native of Morrilton and previous attended the University of Arkansas Rich Mountain and Ouachita Baptist. This is the second All-Arkansas selection for Long.

Asher Hamilton of South Arkansas College is the NSB Freshman of the Year. Hamilton was 9-3 this season, with a 2.53 ERA and 98 strikeouts in 76 2/3 innings. He helped lead the Stars to a 36-20 record and a NJCAA Region 2 DII Championship.

All-Arkansas Team

Catcher – Jeremy Schork, Henderson State (.326, 17 home runs and 61 RBI)
First – Justin Szymanski, South Arkansas College (.415, 21 doubles, 16 home runs and 59 RBI)
Second – Cameron Gonzalez, Southeast Arkansas College (.413, 61 runs, 44 RBI and 48 stolen bases)
Third – Logan Lacey, Harding (.338, 70 runs, 19 home runs, and 58 RBI)
Shortstop – Wehiwa Aloy, Arkansas (.350, 81 runs, 21 home runs, 68 RBI)
Left Field – Kirk Woolf, Arkansas-Monticello (.351, 62 runs, 18 doubles and 52 RBI)
Center Field – Eli Gries-Smith, Arkansas Pine Bluff (.353, 16 doubles and 45 RBI)
Right Field – Ty Simonelli, South Arkansas College (.407, 74 runs, 20 home runs and 62 RBI)
Designated Hitter – Quaterrion Walton, National Park College (.395, 12 home runs, 62 RBI and 43 stolen bases)
Starting Pitcher – Maddox Long, Harding (11-3, 2.16 ERA, 122 strikeouts)
Starting Pitcher – Ckyler Tengler, ASU-Mountain Home (10-3, 3.17 ERA, 116 strikeouts)
Starting Pitcher – Asher Hamilton, South Arkansas College (9-3, 2.35 ERA, 98 strikeouts)
Relief Pitcher – Payton Byrd, Henderson State (3-1, 2.66 ERA, 13 saves)
Relief Pitcher – Austin Adair, Southern Arkansas University (7-2, 2.98 ERA, 7 saves)
Pitcher – Jeremy Adorno, Southern Arkansas University (7-2, 3.10 ERA, 102 strikeouts)
Pitcher – Zach Root, Arkansas (9-6, 3.62 ERA, 126 strikeouts)
Player of the Year – Wehiwa Aloy, University of Arkansas
Pitcher of the Year – Maddox Long, Harding University
The Natural – Maddox Long, Harding University
Freshman of the Year – Asher Hamilton, South Arkansas College
Coach of the Year – Griff Smith, Ecclesia College Royals
Team of the Year – Little Rock Trojans

Honorable mention:
Chase Richter (ASU); Spencer Mounce (ASUMH); Tyler Golden (ASUTR); JT Cafferty (ATU); Cole Dawson (ATU); Daniel Hutchison (ATU); Tyler Sardelli (ATU); Ryan Dauphinee (CBC); Ryan Meyer (CBC); Ethan Delgado (Ecclesia); Cole Edwards (Ecclesia); Gustavo Soto (Ecclesia); Rowan Glover (Hendrix); Owen Shaw (Hendrix); Luke Farrar (HSU); Kooper McCoy (Lyon); Asahi Nakano (NorthArk); Ryan McClure (NPC); Jackson McDaniel (NPC); Bryan Raitz (NPC); Josh Wacaser (NPC); Chase Oberle (OBU); Wesley Scott (OBU); Connor Reed (Ozarks); Gabe Kuttenkuler (SACC); Ian McCubbin (SACC); Gavin Murphy (SACC); Jayren Foster (SEARK); Kuhio Aloy (UA); Dylan Carter (UA); Parker Coil (UA); Charles Davalan (UA); Cam Kozeal (UA); Chaz Poppy (UAM); Justin Santoyo (UAM); Kenney Fabian (UAPB); Ian Smith (UARM); Nash Koczka (WBU).