May 24, 2022, GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. – Ryan Dykstra earned four postseason honors after being a key player on a Grand Rapids Community College baseball team on a season that included a 17-game winning streak.
GRCC finished the 2022 campaign second in the Western Conference and in third place in the region.
Dykstra, a second-year outfielder from Byron Center, was named All-Region, All-MCCAA and First Team All-Conference. The South Christian High School graduate also was named to the All-Tournament team at the regionals after batting .588 in five games.
Dykstra was the only Raider to play and start in 53 games. He is ranked 35th in the nation with a .422 batting average and led GRCC in many other statistical categories including hits, 73; home runs, seven; runs batted in, 45; and slugging percentage, .671. He is committed to play for Oakland University next year.
"This team had a very successful season," Dkystra said. "We started the season a little slowly. But with a couple of back-to-back wins, everything started to click and we went undefeated to finish the conference and took that momentum into the playoffs and made an unforgettable run, finishing third. This is one of my favorite teams to be a part of. We all got along on and off the field. I made a lot of memories and life-long friends."
Jared Berkenpas, another South Christian graduate, was also named All-Region, All-MCCAA, First Team All-Conference, and to the All-Tournament team at regionals after tallying two wins.
The 6-foot, 5-inch righty was GRCC's top pitcher in their rotation and led the team with a 9-2 record, 1.41 ERA, 71 strikeouts, .223 opponents’ batting average, and had four complete games.
Four GRCC players were named Second Team All-Conference: shortstop and pitcher Caleb Engelsman; catcher and first baseman Dylan Chargo; pitcher Eliott Traver; and pitcher Drew Murphy.
Engelsman batted .309 and had 15 extra base hits and pitched 58 innings, the second-most among GRCC players, while picking up five wins.
Chargo batted .337 in the cleanup spot, totaling 56 hits, four home runs and 43 RBI. He was third on the team in slugging percentage, .482, and on base percentage, .429. He was also named to the six-player Western Conference All-Freshman team.
Traver was the GRCC closer and picked up 11 saves while hoping opponents to just a .234 batting average in 26 appearances. He was second on the team with a 2.54 ERA and averaged 1.3 strikeouts per inning.
Murphy closed the season as the number two pitcher in GRCC's rotation. He went 4-2 with a 2.65 ERA in 42.1 innings.
Jacob Gumieny and Xander Reisbig were named All-Conference honorable mention.
Gumieny, the Raiders everyday leadoff hitter, was fourth on the team, batting .316, totaling 56 hits and 20 RBI. He led the team in triples with six and stolen bases with 11.
Reisbig was second on the team, batting .347, totaling 51 hits, 18 for extra bases, and 29 RBI. He also had 11 stolen bases on the season and was second on the team with a .524 slugging percentage. He was the steadiest defender, with just one error.