STERLINGTON, La. – Following the end of its first regular season in the Red River Athletic Conference, the Louisiana Christian University baseball team saw five players earn All-Conference honors with four on the first team and a Gold Glove recipient, the conference office announced on Friday.
 
The four All-Conference first team members were Ju'Juan Franklin, Keelyn Johnson, Alex Ashby, and Cortlynn Ramirez.
 
Franklin, a junior infielder and designated hitter from Carencro, La., enjoyed the transfer from NCAA Division III to NAIA, seeing his batting average rise from .276 in 2021 to .357 as part of a career year in 2022 and home runs jump from five to a conference-leading 14 during the regular season. Adding in his eight doubles and one triple, Franklin's slugging percentage jumped from .463 in 2021 to .729 this season. He was named RRAC Player of the Week on March 22^nd. This is Franklin's second All-Conference honor, having been named All-American Southwest Conference Honorable Mention in 2021.
 
Johnson, a senior infielder from Pineville, La., is an All-Conference player for the third straight full season. He was one of the best hitters in the entire NAIA as his .496 batting average not only led the RRAC but was the second best throughout the entire Association. 25 of his 61 base hits went for extra bases, giving him a team-best .813 slugging percentage, including a team-leading 17 doubles, which resulted in him coming around to touch home plate a team-leading 49 times. Johnson was named the RRAC Player of the Week on February 22^nd. Johnson was named All-American Southwest Conference Second Team in both 2019 and 2021. There were no awards in 2020 due to the season ending early due to the COVID-19 outbreak.
 
Ashby, a senior utility player from Crowley, La., continued to be one of LCU's most consistent players and it earned him his second straight First Team All-Conference honor. He hit .283 on the season while tallying nine doubles, one triple, and seven home runs during the regular season. He also locked up the every day starting role out in center field and used that speed needed in the outfield to steal 31 bases out of 32 attempts. He was named RRAC Player of the Week on February 8^th. He adds this All-Conference honor to his All-American Southwest Conference First Team award from 2021. Ashby was also named the team's representation on the RRAC's Champions of Character team.
 
Ramirez, a junior pitcher from Center Point, La., proved to be the most reliable arm on the Wildcat pitching staff through the season. He finished the year with a 9-3 record and a 4.33 ERA. In 72.2 innings pitched, he allowed 90 hits and 38 runs, 35 earned, with 65 strikeouts and 24 walks. His 65 Ks was the most by far on the team this season while also completing four games in which he started, also the most on the team, one of which was a shutout. This is Ramirez's first All-Conference honor as a Wildcat.
 
Ty Morgan, a senior catcher from Ville Platte, La., was named to the All-Conference Second Team as well as the conference's Gold Glove winner at the catcher position. He hit .279 on the season with ten doubles, a triple, and four home runs while he also knocked in 31 runs on the season. Behind the plate, he continued to be one of the best defensive catchers in Wildcat history as he threw out 17 of the 20 runners who thought they could steal off him and picked off several others who wandered just too far away from the bag. This is his second straight season being named All-Conference Second Team, having been named such by the American Southwest Conference a season ago.
 
After Friday's thrilling 17-13 win over Southwest in the opening round, the Wildcats (31-15) continue play in the RRAC Championship Tournament in the winner's bracket, trying to continue a postseason run. In Saturday's quarterfinal, LCU will take on Houston-Victoria for a spot in the winner's bracket semifinal. First pitch of Saturday's game against the Jaguars (21-24) is set for 6:00 P.M. at the Sterlington Sports Complex.