ROCK HILL, S.C. --- Tusculum College's Jared Richmond has been named the 2010 South Atlantic Conference Baseball Player of the Year announced league officials Wednesday. Richmond was one of six Pioneers named to the All-Conference squad, including two on the All-SAC First Team and four on the Second Team.
Richmond, a senior from Fort Smith, Ark., becomes the fourth player in program history to earn SAC Player of the Year honors. He is having a banner season, leading the league with 23 home runs (2nd in NCAA II), 71 runs batted in (6th in NCAA II), 148 total bases (7th in NCAA II) and a .914 slugging percentage (6th in NCAA II). The two-time All-SAC First Team selection is currently sixth in the SAC in batting average (.420), third in runs scored (60, 19th in NCAA II), ninth in hits (69, 48th in NCAA II), fourth in walks (34, 31st in NCAA II) and sixth in putouts (254).
Richmond's 23 home runs are already in new school single-season record and are just one shy of a the league mark held by three players (Darren Hayes, Wingate-1995; David Trexler, Catawba-1999; Jerry Sands, Catawba-2008). He also became Tusculum's all-time leader in home runs and has been credited with 34 in his 91-game career, surpassing the previous record of 30 set by 2001 SAC Player of the Year Shane Banks (1997-2001). He is also seventh all-time at Tusculum in career batting average (.388), first in slugging percentage (.799), seventh in career RBI (120) and ninth in on-base percentage (.463)
Junior Sean Cotten was named the All-SAC First Team catcher. The Mooresville, N.C. native has belted 15 homers this season (3rd in SAC, 13th in NCAA II) to go along with 68 RBI (2nd in SAC, 7th in NCAA II). Cotten, who is hitting .393 this year, is sixth in the conference in total bases (126, 19th in NCAA II), sixth in slugging percentage (.728, 54th in NCAA II), fifth in putouts (257) and eighth in hit by pitch (8). He has accounted for 13 doubles, 68 hits (48th in NCAA II) and 47 runs scored this season.
Cotten is closing in on the school's career RBI record. He is fourth in school history with 142 RBI, needing four more to match the school record set by former TC slugger George Hanger (146, 2002-05). Cotten is also 10th all-time in career doubles (33), 10th in career total bases (282), sixth career walks (72), third in career sacrifice flies (13) and sixth in career putouts (612).
Senior Nate Grabowski has been named as one of the All-SAC Second Team outfielders. The two-time All-SAC standout is third on the team with his .415 batting average, which is ninth-best in the conference. The 2009 All-Region selection is second in the SAC in hits (76, 12th in NCAA II), third in doubles (18, 26th in NCAA II), seventh in walks (25), ninth in on-base percentage (.483) and sixth in stolen bases (12). He enters this week's SAC postseason riding a 21-game hitting streak and is 18th in the nation in toughest to strikeout (1 in every 22.9 plate appearances).
In his two seasons at Tusculum, Grabowski (Pennellville, N.Y.) has posted a .410 batting average, which is currently fourth in school history. Grabowski is also 10th all-time in career doubles (34), seventh in slugging percentage (.631) and second in on-base percentage (.494).
Junior right-hander Tyler Collins was named to the All-SAC Second Team pitching staff. The Snellville, Ga. product emerged this season as the ace of the Tusculum rotation, posting a 5-1 record in his 11 starts with a 4.15 earned run average, which is the seventh lowest in the league this year. Collins is currently fourth in the SAC in innings pitched (69.1) and fifth in strikeouts (63, 54th in NCAA II).
Junior second baseman Payden Houser was named to the All-SAC Second Team for a second consecutive year. Houser, a Lincolnton, N.C. native, is seventh in the conference, hitting .418 in his 41 contests. Houser is currently seventh in the league in on-base percentage (.506) and sixth in fielding assists (110). He has recorded 14 doubles, five home runs, 29 RBI, 38 runs scored and 59 hits. He has also hit safely in his last 21 straight games.
Senior designated hitter Sean Finucane rounds out the All-SAC Second Team. Finucane is fourth on the team with his .412 batting average and second with 70 hits (6th in SAC/35th in NCAA II). The Cortland, N.Y. native has recorded 14 hits, one triple, five home runs and 47 RBI in his 41 starts. Finucane has been amongst the nation's leaders at the plate and is currently 34th in the nation in toughest to strikeout, fanning only once in every 18.9 times at bat.
The All-South Atlantic Conference Baseball Team Awards are selected by a vote of the league's nine baseball coaches.
The Pioneers (29-16) are the fifth seed in this week's Food Lion South Atlantic Conference Baseball Tournament and will open against No. 2 seed Mars Hill College on Thursday at 3:45 p.m. The six-team, double-elimination tournament is being held at McNair Field in Forest City, N.C.
- SAC -
2010 All-South Atlantic Conference Baseball
Team
First Team
C - Sean Cotten, Tusculum
P - Nathan Furr, Catawba
P - Trevor Mullins, Catawba
P - Tyler Almond, Wingate
RP - Wil Huneycutt, Catawba
1B - Jared Richmond, Tusculum
2B - Logan Isaacs, Wingate
SS - Mills Rogers, Carson-Newman
3B - Craige Lyerly, Catawba
OF - Wade Moore, Catawba
OF - Jeff Lockwood, Carson-Newman
OF - Mike Kitt, Mars Hill
DH - Brian Dice, Lenoir-Rhyne
Second Team
C - Rob Knight, Lenoir-Rhyne
P - Austin Bridgewater, Carson-Newman
P - Tyler Collins, Tusculum
P - Justin Hall, Mars Hill
RP - Tony Hearrell, Mars Hill
1B - Derek Long, Carson-Newman
2B - Payden Houser, Tusculum
SS - Chris Vazquez, Wingate
3B - John Couch, Lincoln Memorial
OF - Nate Grabowski, Tusculum
OF - Cody Pack, Lincoln Memorial
OF - Evan Taylor, Lenoir-Rhyne
DH - Sean Finucane, Tusculum
SAC Gold Glove Team
P - Greg Smith, Mars Hill
C - Rob Knight, Lenoir-Rhyne
1B - Brandon Savacoa, Mars Hill
2B - Hank Wofford, Lenoir-Rhyne
SS - Devin Presnell, Mars Hill
3B - Craige Lyerly, Catawba
OF - Wade Moore, Catawba
OF - Evan Taylor, Lenoir-Rhyne
OF - Mike Kitt, Mars Hill
SAC Player of the Year: Jared Richmond,
Tusculum
SAC Pitcher of the Year: Nathan Furr, Catawba
SAC Freshman of the Year: Garrett Furr,
Catawba
SAC Coach of the Year: Dan Taylor, Mars Hill
SAC Scholar-Athlete: Derek Long, Carson-Newman
Statistical Champions
Batting Average - Mike Kitt, Mars Hill, .467
On-Base Percentage - Wade Moore, Catawba, .579
Triples Per Game - Nick Siega-Riz, Wingate, 0.12
RBIs Per Game - Jared Richmond, Tusculum, 1.65
Slugging Percentage- Jared Richmond, Tusculum, .914
Home Runs Per Game - Jared Richmond, Tusculum, .53
Runs Scored Per Game - Mike Kitt, Mars Hill, 1.67
Stolen Bases Per Game - Wade Moore, Catawba, .67
Earned Run Average - DJ Ferguson, Carson-Newman, 2.90
Pitching Victories - Trevor Mullins, Catawba, 7
Strikeouts Per Game - Wes McIntyre, Carson-Newman, 11.74
Team Batting Average - Mars Hill, .369
Team Stolen Bases Per Game - Catawba, 1.72
Team Triples Per Game - Carson-Newman, .30
Team Earned Run Average - Catawba, 4.64
Team Strikeouts Per Game - Catawba, 8.33
Team Slugging Percentage - Mars Hill, .575
Team On-Base Percentage - Mars Hill, .444
Team Runs Per Game - Mars Hill, 10.21
Team Doubles Per Game - Mars Hill, 2.76
Team Home Runs Per Game - Carson-Newman, 1.59
Team RBI Per Game - Mars Hill, 9.45
