Messenger photo by Britt Kudla Devin Porter of Iowa Central hits a home run at Barbour Field.

Iowa Central sophomore baseball player Devin Porter was named first team all-region, the league announced recently.

Porter was the lone Triton named to the first team with Eddy Noguera, Alberto Ortiz and Albert Mora securing second team status. Jayden Maifeld, Brenden Roder and Nathin Mortimer were honorable mention choices.

After a strong freshman campaign last year, Porter followed things up by hitting 10 homers, driving in 52 runs and batting .366 to lead Iowa Central in all three categories.

“Earning first team all-region is truly a great accomplishment to me with all the great hitters in the region,” Porter said. “The past two years at Iowa Central have been some of the greatest experiences in my life. The group has taught me and made me grow as a person.

“Iowa Central has shaped me as a person.”

Porter played in 107 games for the Tritons with 21 career homers, 42 doubles, 100 runs, 117 hits and 96 RBI. He also drew 89 walks and struck out just 58 times in 330 plate appearances, adding 20 steals.

In terms of single-season school records, Porter is first on the walks chart and fifth in both on-base percentage and doubles. On the career lists he is first in doubles, walks and on-base, third in slugging percentage, fourth in hit-by-pitch, fifth in homers and seventh in RBI.

Ortiz and Mora are also sophomores, with Noguera, Maifeld, Roder and Mortimer all having just completed their freshman seasons.

Ortiz hit .361 with 60 runs and 23 steals this year, with Mora driving in 38, scoring 32 times and belting seven homers. Noguera had six homers and 31 RBI, and Mortimer hit .342 with 60 RBI and 46 runs.

Maifeld went 6-3 on the mound with 67 strikeouts including a no-hitter and four complete games. Roder had a 5-0 record with one save and 24 strikeouts in 33 innings.

Drew Smith of Northeast was both player of the year and defensive player of the year, with Des Moines Area’s David Pearson winning coach of the year.