ROCK HILL, S.C. --- Tusculum's John-Austin Shepard was one of three Pioneers to be named to the 2013 All-South Atlantic Conference Baseball Team announced league officials on Wednesday.
Shepard was tabbed the first team relief pitcher, while designated hitter Joe Polichetti and starting pitcher Taylor Rakes were selected to the All-SAC second team.
The Haymarket, Va. junior leads the league with his TC
single-season record nine saves, which are presently sixth most in
the country (NCAA Division II). In his 21 relief appearances, he
has posted a 6-1 record with a 1.74 earned run average. The
two-time All-SAC first team selection has pitched in 41.1 innings
where he has posted 49 strikeouts against a dozen walks. In SAC
games alone, he has a 4-1 record with seven saves and a 1.76 ERA
while limiting league batters to hit just .168 against him.
Rakes earns All-SAC accolades for a second consecutive year. The Norcross, Ga. graduate student has a 5-2 record with a 3.17 ERA in his 12 appearances, including 11 starts as the No. 1 pitcher in the TC weekend rotation. The two-time SAC Baseball Scholar Athlete has pitched in 71 innings this season where he has tallied a team-best 70 strikeouts (20th in NCAA II) against 22 walks.
Polichetti rounds out this year's All-SAC selections for the Pioneers. The Dunkirk, N.Y. senior is batting .294 this season with 37 hits, 17 RBI and six doubles. In SAC games, he is hitting .319 with 23 hits and a pair of doubles.
Rakes was also selected to the SAC Gold Glove Team, a distinction he earned last year. He has not committed a fielding error the last three years, including 2013 as he is perfect in his 17 total fielding chances.
Tusculum (28-16) is earned the No. 3 seed in this week's Food Lion SAC Baseball Tournament, which will be held Apr. 18-21 at McNair Field in Forest City, N.C. TC will open against fourth-seeded Newberry on Thursday at 7:30 p.m. as the Pioneers begin defense of their SAC Tournament crown.
- SAC -
2013 All-South Atlantic Conference Baseball Team
First Team
C - Nick Pressley, Lincoln Memorial
1B - Chris Dula, Catawba
2B - Julio Zubillaga, Catawba
SS - Curt Fuqua, Lincoln Memorial
3B - Ryan Cranmer, Newberry
OF - Thomas Spitz, Wingate
OF - Ivan Vieitez, Lenoir-Rhyne
OF - Keaton Hawks, Catawba
DH - Garrett Furr, Catawba
SP - Nick Lomascolo, Catawba
SP - Jonathan Rosenberger, Newberry
SP - Olen Little, Wingate
RP - John-Austin Shepard, Tusculum
Second Team
C - Josh Clark, Wingate
1B - Albert Baur, Newberry
2B - Andre Rodriguez, Lincoln Memorial
SS - Dalton Hall, Lenoir-Rhyne
3B - Blake Prince, Wingate
OF - Champ Stuart, Brevard
OF - Paul Kronenfeld, Catawba
OF - Jermale Paige, Newberry
DH - Joe Polichetti, Tusculum
SP - Chris Armstrong, Carson-Newman
SP - TJ Rinoski, Wingate
SP - Taylor Rakes, Tusculum
RP - Landon Beck, Anderson
SAC Gold Glove Team
C - Nick Pressley, Lincoln Memorial
1B - Albert Baur, Newberry
2B - Julio Zubillaga, Catawba
SS - Dalton Hall, Lenoir-Rhyne
3B - Jacob West, Lincoln Memorial
OF - Thomas Spitz, Wingate
OF- Cody Baker, Lincoln Memorial
OF - Blake Houston, Catawba
P - Taylor Rakes, Tusculum
SAC Player of the Year: Chris Dula, Catawba
SAC Pitcher of the Year: Nick Lomascolo,
Catawba
SAC Freshman of the Year: TJ Rinoski, Wingate
SAC Coach of the Year: Jim Gantt, Catawba
