WINTER PARK, Fla. --- Tusculum College placed
three players on the 2008 National Collegiate Baseball Writers
Association's Division II All-South Region First Team announced
officials. Boo Morrow, Christian
Rosa and Maikol Gonzalez. This marks the
second straight year Rosa and Gonzalez have earned NCBWA All-Region
accolades, while Morrow is receiving his initial honor.
Gonzalez, a senior second baseman from Maraca Ibo, Venezuela, was
named to the Daktronics All-Region First Team last week, while also
being tabbed the South Region Player of the Year by that
organization for a second time. He was also named to the
ABCA/Rawlings All-Region Team earlier this week. Gonzalez
established a new school record by hitting .468 this year,
surpassing the previous best by Julio Velazquez in the 1994
campaign (.467). Gonzalez also broke the TC and South Atlantic
Conference single-season record with his 103 hits this year. The
two-time All-SAC First Team honoree accounted for 21 doubles, seven
triples, five home runs and a team-best 58 RBI. His 30 stolen bases
in 2008 were also a new school record. During his two-year career,
Gonzalez established new TC record for batting average (.457),
triples (21) and on-base percentage (.522).
Rosa, a senior catcher from Toa Boa, Puerto Rico, who is also a
two-time ABCA All-Region First Team pick, finished third on the
team hitting .390 with 15 doubles, seven triples and a team-best 12
home runs, including a solo shot in his final collegiate at-bat.
Rosa's dozen homers are tied for the fourth most in school history.
His 21 career round-trippers are tied for fifth all-time in the TC
record book. He was named to the Daktronics All-Region First Team
last week and was a 2007 NCBWA All-America pick.
Boo Morrow, a junior right-handed pitcher from Lexington, Ky.,
emerged as the ace to the Tusculum rotation in 2008. The Daktronics
and ABCA All-Region First Team selection, posted a 7-0 record with
a 2.00 earned run average. Morrow recorded 61 strikeouts and 20
walks in his 76.2 innings. The All-SAC First Team honoree has yet
to suffer a loss in his career (11-0) and was also named to the
ESPN The Magazine Academic All-District IV Second Team.
The Pioneers posted a 41-15 record in 2008 and are currently
ranked 30th in the nation. Tusculum advanced to the NCAA Tournament
for a second straight year and the fourth time in the last six
seasons. The Pioneers earned their way into the national postseason
by winning the Food Lion South Atlantic Conference Tournament.
- TC -
NCBWA All-South Region Baseball Team
First Team
SP - Ruddy Garcia, Nova Southeastern
SP - Bobby Hernandez, Barry
SP - Brett Hontz, Carson-Newman
SP - Mario Lombardo, Rollins
SP - Boo Morrow, Tusculum
RP - Anthony Perez, Tampa
C - Christian Rosa, Tusculum
1B - Bryan Cook, Nova Southeastern
2B - Maikol Gonzalez, Tusculum
3B - Gene Howard, Rollins
SS - Chuncey Ward, Albany State
OF - J.D. Martinez, Nova Southeastern
OF - Jerry Sands, Catawba
OF - David Thomas, Catawba
UT/DH - Nathan Coggins, Albany State
Second Team
SP - Josh Bowman, Tampa
SP - Blake Ketner, Catawba
SP - Samuel Murphy, Albany State
SP - Matt Schurig, Florida Tech
RP - Tim Holmes, Catawba
C - Braulio Pardo, Saint Leo
1B - Joe Arminio, Lynn
2B - Jonathan Duncan, Saint Leo
3B - Dan Ford, Lenoir-Rhyne
SS - Nick Shaw, Barry
OF - Nick Achberger, Carson-Newman
OF - T.J. Alonzo, Saint Leo