Bobcats Land Six on NCBWA All-Region Squads, Carty Takes Coaching Honor
Complete Team List Below
by Katie Parker, sports information graduate assistant
MILLEDGEVILLE, Ga. – The National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association (NCBWA) released the Southeast Region Teams Thursday, May 20 with the No. 4 Georgia College & State University baseball team (39-15) claiming six spots, while head coach Tom Carty was named the region’s Coach of the Year. The members of the Southeast All-Region First Team are eligible for the NCBWA All-American team, which will be announced Wednesday, May 26.
Georgia College snagged three slots on the all-region first team in senior centerfielder Sean Harrell (Martinez, Ga.), junior right fielder Shawn Ward (Martinez, Ga.) and senior pitcher Martin Dewald (Mannheim, Germany). Harrell leads the ‘Cats with a .453 batting average, while Ward is batting .364 with a team-high of 16 home runs and 82 RBI. Dewald posts an 11-2 record and a 3.56 ERA this season with 108 strikeouts over 103.2 innings pitched.
This was the second all-region nod this season for both Dewald and Harrell, as the seniors were named to the Daktronics list last week. The German native also took top pitching honors being named NCBWA Southeast Pitcher of the Year.
The Bobcats put a pair of juniors on the all-region second team in catcher Richard Pirkle (Norcross, Ga.) and second baseman Jason Veyna (Lamar, Colo.), while senior leftfielder Kyle Allen (Conyers, Ga.) earned honorable mention. Pirkle owns a .358 average, sharing the team-high with 16 home runs. Veyna owns a .319 batting average, while Allen is second on the team with .379.
Advancing to the World Series for the first time since 1995, the Bobcats open up play Saturday in Cary, N.C. taking on No. 1-ranked the UC-San Diego at 5 p.m.
The GCSU Department of Athletics, winners of the 2008-09 PBC Commissioner's Cup, sponsors 10 varsity athletic programs at the NCAA Division II level. As a Division II program, GCSU prides itself on balancing the life of the student-athlete, evidenced by the Bobcats' multiple appearances in post-season competition as well as documented academic success and community-service involvement. Sign up at Twitter.com username GCSUSID for up-to-the-minute reports, and visit www.GCSUBobcats.com to nominate your favorite former Bobcats and Colonials to the GCSU Athletics Hall of Fame.
First Team
C - Sean Cotton, Tusculum
1B - Jason Rogers, Columbus State
2B - Chas Anthony, Erskine
3B - Craig Lyerly, Catawba
SS - Barrett Kleinknecht, Francis Marion
OF - Bryan Fogle, Erskine
Sean Harrell, GCSU
Jeremy Nowak, Mount Olive
Shawn Ward, GCSU
UT - Seth Kivett, UNC Pembroke
DH - Mike Knox, Mount Olive
SP - Martin Dewald, GCSU
Chris Rearick, North Georgia
William Buzhardt, Erskine
Don Sandifer, Francis Marion
RP - Atlee Pearson, Erskine
Brian Willis, UNC Pembroke
Second Team
C - Richard Pirkle, GCSU
1B - Jared Richmond, Tusculum
2B - Jason Veyna, GCSU
3B - Jordan Erisman, North Georgia
SS - Mills Rogers, Carson-Newman
OF - Bobby Leeper, Mount Olive
Wade Moore, Catawba
Bill Rice, USC Aiken
Jeff Lockwood, Carson-Newman
UT - Jesse Lancaster, Mount Olive
DH - Nick Aranas, USC Aiken
SP - Nathan Furr, Catawba
Jackson Massey, Mount Olive
Carter Capps, Mount Olive
Matt McGovern, UNC Pembroke
RP - Brandon Forshee, Francis Marion
Wil Honeycutt, Catawba
Honorable Mention
C - John Roberts, Armstrong Atlantic
1B - John Bolden, Erskine
2B - Logan Isaacs, Wingate
OF - Mike Kitt, Mars Hill
Kyle Allen, GCSU
Chad Sage, North Georgia
DH - Sean Finucane, Tusculum
Brian Dice, Lenoir-Rhyne
SP - Thomas Campbell, Columbus State
Trevor Mullins, Catawba
Jonathan Armold, Flagler
RP - Luke Wilhelm, Pfeiffer
