Mason Lytle prepares to make a catch in center field against Rice in a game played last Thursday at UTSA. Lytle was named Monday as the Player of the Year and also the Defensive Player of the Year in the American Athletic Conference. – File photo by Joe Alexander

UTSA’s Mason Lytle, a .371 hitter who wowed fans by sprinting and sometimes diving or sliding to make catches in the outfield all season, has been named Player of the Year and Defensive Player of the Year in the American Athletic Conference.

Pat Hallmark has been named Coach of the Year in the American Athletic Conference. – File photo by Joe Alexander

Unanimous choices for the Roadrunners on major awards included Lytle for Player of the Year and Pat Hallmark for Coach of the Year. Newcomer Position Players of the Year were UAB’s Todd Clay and UTSA’s Drew Detlefsen, who led the conference with 69 RBI.

For AAC coaches voting for the honorees, it was hard to ignore the Roadrunners, who dominated the league in the regular season, winning the title by five games over the second-place Charlotte 49ers. Top-seeded UTSA (42-11, 23-4 AAC) will play No. 8 Rice Tuesday in Florida to open the conference’s postseason tournament.

UTSA players making first-team all conference included outfielders Lytle and James Taussig, catcher Andrew Stucky, shortstop Ty Hodge and pitcher Robert Orloski.

Lytle, in his second year with the Roadrunners after transferring from Oregon, led the AAC in hits (86) and runs scored (67), ranked second in RBI (62) and third in batting average.

Making the second team were UTSA’s Detlefsen and freshman infielder Jordan Ballin from Boerne Champion High School. Ballin, Nathan Hodge and Caden Miller were named to the all freshman team.

UTSA junior outfielder Drew Detlefsen led the American Athletic Conference in RBI during the regular season with 69. He was named Monday along with UAB’s Todd Clay as one of the AAC’s Newcomer Position Players of the Year. – File photo by Joe Alexander