Blackburn Named First Team All-SoCon by SCSMA
Senior first baseman Kyle Blackburn (Marietta, Ga.) was named to the First Team, while outfielder Shawn Payne (Stone Mountain, Ga.) and shortstop Eric Phillips (Carrollton, Ga.) earned Second Team honors. All three were honored by the coaches in their selections, which were announced Monday (May 24).
Leading the team in five offensive categories, Blackburn enters the SoCon Tournament carrying a .349 batting average. He leads the team in home runs (17), RBI (74), total bases (143), walks (45) and slugging percentage (.665). For his performance during the week of May 20, Blackburn was selected as the SoCon Player of the Week and CollegeBaseballInsider.com’s Southeast National Player of the Week.
His slugging percentage ranks fifth in the SoCon, while his RBI total places him third in the league and his home run count is second-best. Blackburn ties for the team-lead in doubles with 17 and has started all 56 games at either first base or designated hitter.
Phillips leads the team in hitting with a .355 batting average. The sophomore has tallied 44 runs scored, 83 hits, 15 doubles, seven home runs and 56 RBI on the season. He has 16 walks to 13 strikeouts in 234 at-bats. Phillips earned All-Freshman honors last season.
Payne has compiled a .977 fielding percentage in centerfield. The junior owns a .343 batting average with 66 runs scored (team best), 15 doubles, five home runs and 32 RBI. He leads the team in stolen bases with 43 in 45 attempts. Payne was not caught stealing until the Davidson series in mid-May. In the latest NCAA national rankings, Payne was third in the nation in stolen bases.
The third-seeded Eagles (34-22) open 2010 Southern Conference Tournament play this week against the sixth-seeded Western Carolina Catamounts. The conference foes take Joseph P. Riley, Jr. Park in Charleston, S.C. on Wednesday, May 26 at 1 p.m. in first round action. Tickets can be purchased to the tournament by calling 1-843-953-3647.
2010 SoCon Sports Media Association Baseball All-Conference Team
Player of the Year – Matt Leeds, So., 3B, College of Charleston
Pitcher of the Year – Asher Wojciechowski, Jr., RHP, The Citadel
Freshman of the Year – Will Muzika, Fr., 2B, Furman
Coach of the Year – Fred Jordan, The Citadel
First Team
SP Asher Wojciechowski, The Citadel
SP Jimmy Reyes, Elon
RP Chris Patterson, Appalachian State
C Rob Kral, College of Charleston
1B Kyle Blackburn, Georgia Southern
2B Wes Hobson, Appalachian State
SS Neal Pritchard, Elon
3B Matt Leeds, College of Charleston
OF David Schulze, Samford
OF Cole Rakar, College of Charleston
OF Jose Rodriguez, College of Charleston
DH Mac Doyle, Wofford
Second Team
SP Kevin Decker, College of Charleston
SP Matt Benedict, Western Carolina
RP Lex Rutledge, Samford
C Mike Melillo, Elon
1B Greg Blake, College of Charleston
2B Bryan Altman, The Citadel
SS Eric Phillips, Georgia Southern
3B Kyle Behrendt, Wofford
OF Matt Hinson, Elon
OF Shawn Payne, Georgia Southern
OF Trevor Collias, Western Carolina
DH Jerod Faggart, Appalachian State
- Category: Baseball
- Published on Tuesday, 25 May 2010 14:29
