Tusculum’s Gonzalez, Carson-Newman’s Hontz Named South Region Baseball Players Of The Year

LAKELAND, Fla. --- For a second straight year, Tusculum College second baseman Maikol Gonzalez has been named the 2008 Daktronics NCAA Division II South Region Player of the Year announced officials Wednesday, while Carson-Newman pitcher Brett Hontz was named the region's Pitcher of the Year.

A total of 10 baseball players from the South Atlantic Conference were represented on either the first or second team. Players named to the All-Region First Team will appear on the national ballot for the 2008 Daktronics All-America Team.

Maikol Gonzalez

Brett Hontz

Christian Rosa

Boo Morrow

Daniel Ford

David Thomas

Jerry Sands

Nick Achberger

Blake Ketner

Michael Dobre

The Daktronics All-South Region Team is selected by a vote of the sports information directors in the region, which consists of the South Atlantic Conference, the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference and the Sunshine State Conference, plus independent Palm Beach Atlantic. Tusculum

Joining Gonzalez on the All-South Region First Team from Tusculum are utility player Christian Rosa and pitcher Boo Morrow.

The trio has paced the Pioneers to a 40-13 overall record and TC is ranked No. 13 in the nation. Tusculum won the 2008 Food Lion South Atlantic Conference Tournament title, while punching its ticket for this week's NCAA II Tournament. The Pioneers are the No. 2 seed in this weekend's South Region Tournament and will open against fifth-seeded Carson-Newman College on Thursday at 3 p.m. from Tampa, Fla.

Gonzalez, a senior from Maraca Ibo, Venezuela, leads the nation hitting .476, which is also on pace to break both the school and South Atlantic Conference single-season record. The two-time All-Region selection has accounted for 99 hits this season, which are the second most in TC and SAC history. The 99 hits are just two shy of matching the 101 posted by teammate Carlos Rivera last year.

Gonzalez, a 2007 All-American, has recorded 20 doubles, seven triples, five home runs and 56 RBI in 2008. He was also named the 2008 SAC Tournament Most Valuable Player. He has tied a school season record with 29 stolen bases and his 48 career thefts on the base paths are three off the all-time mark. His .461 career batting average is also the best in school history and is ranked in the top 10 in the NCAA II record book.

Rosa, a senior from Toa Bao, Puerto Rico, returns to the All-Region First Team for a second straight season. Rosa has made 51 starts this year, splitting time between catcher and the outfield. Rosa is hitting .402 with 14 doubles, seven triples and a team-best 11 home runs. The two-time All-SAC honoree has scored a school record 70 runs this, which are tied for the sixth most in league history.

Morrow, a junior right-handed pitcher from Lexington, Ky., is making his debut appearance on the All-Region team. Morrow has posted a perfect 7-0 record in his 10 starts with a 1.87 earned run average which is 17th in the country. Morrow has recorded 60 strikeouts in his 72.1 innings this season. He has yet to suffer a loss in his collegiate career (11-0).

Tusculum is making its fourth NCAA postseason appearance in the last six years. The Pioneers have won eight of their last nine games and 16 of 18 entering the NCAA Tournament.

Carson-Newman

Hontz, a senior righthander who led Carson-Newman to a runner-up finish in the SAC regular season, is the South Region Pitcher of the Year. He is 11-1 with a 2.08 ERA, six complete games, 95 strikeouts and just 13 walks in 95.1 innings. He was the SAC Pitcher of the Year and was named to the SAC all-tournament team. Carson-Newman (41-16) is seeded fifth in the NCAA Division II South Regional. Outfielder Nick Achberger (Anderson, S.C.) was selected to the second team.

Lenoir-Rhyne

Lenoir-Rhyne College's Daniel Ford has been selected to the 2008 Daktronics NCAA Division II All-South Region First Team in baseball.

Ford, a junior third baseman from Youngstown, Ohio, led the Bears in numerous offensive categories this year including batting average (.426), runs scored (54), doubles (20), home runs (10) and slugging percentage (.676).

Ford also set the school single-season record in hits (92) and total bases (146) and tied the L-R single-season mark in runs batted in with 60.

Mars Hill

Michael Dobre was named to the Daktronics All-South Region Second team. Dobre was a second team All-SAC selection this season. He led MHC in hitting with a .467 batting average, 18 doubles and 35 RBI as the Lions' lead-off hitter. He also stole 20-of-26 bases and had a .522 on-base percentage.

Catawba

Outfielders David Thomas and Jerry Sands were named to the First Team, while pitcher Blake Ketner was named to the Second Team.

Thomas (Winston-Salem, NC/Ledford HS), a senior, currently leads Catawba with a .432 average and has connected on a career-high 20 home runs with 57 RBI. He also paces the team with 74 runs scored and has swiped 22 bases. Thomas was the 2008 South Atlantic Conference Player of the Year and is a three-time all-region performer.

Sands (Clayton, NC/Smithfield-Selma HS) Sands, a junior, has set a school record this season with 80 RBI and has hit 23 homers. He has also set a record by drawing 52 walks and ranks second on the team with 73 runs scored. Sands has made all-region in each of his three seasons at Catawba.

Ketner (Davidson, NC/NW Cabarrus HS), a junior, claims all-region honors for the first time. In 2008, he has posted an 8-3 record and 3.16 ERA. He has tossed a team-high 88 and a third innings with a pair of shutouts.

2008 Daktronics NCAA Division II All-South Region Team

First Team
1B - Bryan Cook, Sr., Nova Southeastern
2B - Maikol Gonzalez, Sr., Tusculum
SS - Nick Shaw, So., Barry
3B - Daniel Ford, Jr., Lenoir-Rhyne
OF - Gabe MacDougall, Jr., Lynn
OF - Jerry Sands, Jr., Catawba
OF - David Thomas, Sr., Catawba
C - Kyle Holloway, So., Lynn
DH - Nathan Coggins, So., Albany State
UT - Christian Rosa, Sr., Tusculum
SP - Brett Hontz, Sr., Carson-Newman
SP - Bobby Hernandez, Jr., Barry
SP - Boo Morrow, Jr., Tusculum
SP - Matt Schurig, Fr., Florida Tech
RP - Anthony Perez, So., Tampa

Second Team
1B - Joe Arminio, Sr., Lynn
2B - Jesus Barroso, Jr., Tampa
SS - Chuncey Ward, Sr., Albany State
3B - Gene Howard, Sr., Rollins
OF - Nick Achberger, Sr., Carson-Newman
OF - Paul Cruz, Sr., Tampa
OF - Andrew Frezza, Sr., Barry
OF - J. D. Martinez, So., Nova Southeastern
OF - John Servidio, Sr., Barry
C - Michael Dobre, Jr., Mars Hill
DH - Cory Clark, Sr., Nova Southeastern
UT - Nolan Brannon, Sr., Tampa
SP - Kevin Ferguson, Sr., Tampa
SP - Mario Lombardo, Sr., Rollins
SP - Ruddy Garcia, Sr., Nova Southeastern
SP - Blake Ketner, Jr., Catawba
SP - Chase Wilson, So., Stillman
RP - Nick Carris, Sr., Nova Southeastern

South Region Player of the Year: Maikol Gonzalez, Tusculum
South Region Pitcher of the Year: Brett Hontz, Carson-Newman