WC dominates baseball conference awards

Weatherford College baseball swept the top awards on the 2023 All-Conference team as voted by the coaches of the Northern Texas Junior College Athletic Conference. Jeff Lightfoot was named Coach of the Year, Ryne Rodriguez won Pitcher of the Year and Robin Villeneuve earned Hitter of the Year. 

Lightfoot has served as WC's coach since 2002 and is the only head coach in the modern era of Weatherford College baseball. He surpassed the 800-win plateau this season and is a former NJCAA Division III National Coach of the Year when his Eastfield College team won the national championship in 2001. This is his second NTJCAC Coach of the Year award. 

Rodriguez has the third-lowest earned run average in the nation at 1.35. The Fort Worth Trinity Valley School graduate has a 9-0 record with 85 strikeouts in just over 73 innings pitched. He has committed to play at Ole Miss next season. 

Villeneuve has broken two school records this season: home runs (35) and RBI (85). Both totals rank third in the nation. The Canadian sophomore from Gatineau, Quebec is hitting .390. 

In addition to Rodriguez and Villeneuve, pitcher Robert Fortenberry, shortstop Chase Pendley, outfielder Jack Arthur, utility player Eddie Calzoncit and relief pitcher Davin Ronquist earned first team All-Conference honors. 

Fortenberry is 9-1 with a 2.62 ERA and 74 strikeouts over 68 innings. Pendley is hitting .316 with 42 runs and 15 stolen bases. Arthur is hitting .370 with 15 home runs and 55 RBI. Calzoncit has 26 RBI and is hitting .325 along with 33 runs scored. Ronquist has a 0.35 ERA with 13 strikeouts in over 25 innings. 

Catcher Joey Baran was second team All-Conference. 

WC won the conference title with a 29-3 record; 46-9 overall.