USA South announces league baseball and softball awards

Fayetteville, NC - The USA South Athletic Conference has announced its All-Conference awards for baseball and softball with a total of 90 student-athletes garnering recognition. In baseball, regular season runner-up North Carolina Wesleyan had eight players receive accolades, highlighted by First Team selections Ben Moore, Chris Pecora, and Matt Smith. On the women's side, five Bishops were honored, including seniors Ashlee Bass and Libby Fulford as First Team picks.

Smith and Pecora were First Team selections in the outfield after turning in stellar offensive seasons. Smith recently became NCWC's career hits leader and currently boasts a .470 batting average, while Pecora batted .435 in conference play. Moore joined the two seniors after turning in a 7-1 overall record on the mound, including a 5-0 mark in league action.

Other baseball Bishops honored include Second Teamers Justin Batts, Travis Beausoleil, Jonathan Shearon, and Ted Williams. Batts drove in a team-best 23 runs over 12 USA South contests and leads the team with 41 RBI on the season, while Beausoleil has become a defensive staple at second base, committing just two errors in 164 chances. A relief pitcher, Shearon earns the first All-Conference award of his career by turning in a 1.42 earned run average in league play. Williams, one of five Bishop seniors, currently boasts a .347 batting average as Wesleyan's primary catcher.

Freshman Daniel Moore rounded out the Bishops' selections as an Honorable Mention as he was second on the team with a .440 batting average in USA South contests. Moore was also NCWC's representative on the All-Sportsmanship team.

Christopher Newport's Trae Bailey was named Conference Player of the Year, while teammate Kenny Moreland was tabbed Pitcher of the Year and their coach, John Harvell, garnered Coach of the Year accolades. Greg Van Sickler of Shenandoah and J.R. Pike of Greensboro were named Rookie and Rookie Pitcher of the Year, respectively.

In softball, Bass and Fulford were First Team selections at shortstop and designated player. Bass currently boasts a .431 batting average with team-leading 42 RBI. Fulford, who was also a Second Team selection at pitcher, batted .304 in conference play and has earned 11 wins on the mound thanks to a 2.59 ERA.

Junior Whitney Moshier was named to the Second Team after turning in the second highest batting average on the team at .327. She also leads the squad with 32 runs scored.

Rounding softball's honorees are Honorable Mention Denise Pope, who batted .321 in league action, and All-Sportsmanship representative Katie Dunavant. Both seniors, these are the first conference awards for each.

Methodist University's Rebekah Kelly was named Player of the Year, while her teammate, Hannah Stutts, was tabbed Rookie Pitcher of the Year. Shenandoah earned three individual honors as Katie Haskins was voted Pitcher of the Year, Cat Pruiett Rookie of the Year, and their coach, Marlena Kotynski, Coach of the Year.

Both teams will now prepare for the 2008 USA South Conference Tournament to be held in Burlington, NC. First round play begins on Thursday when baseball takes on 7th-seeded Averett at 4:30 p.m. Softball then takes the field on Friday morning at 9:00 a.m. versus Mary Baldwin.

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