Ausmus hauls in gold glove, second team All-SAC honors
JEFFERSON CITY, Tenn. – Junior outfielder Bo Ausmus (Jefferson City, Tenn.) was honored by the South Atlantic Conference by being placed on the second team All-SAC team and being awarded a gold glove for his play in the outfield.
JEFFERSON CITY, Tenn. – Junior outfielder Bo Ausmus (Jefferson City, Tenn.) was honored by the South Atlantic Conference by being placed on the second team All-SAC team and being awarded a gold glove for his play in the outfield.
Ausmus is the first player since catcher Kyle Koeneman in 2012 to be named to an All-SAC team and the first player since pitcher Robby Thigpen in 2011 to win a gold glove. Thigpen was also named a second team All-SAC selection in 2011.
"It feels good to get honored at the end of the season," Ausmus said of his accolades. "I worked hard in the offseason. It's second team so there is always room for improvement so hopefully next year I can move up to the first team."
The preseason second team selection had a year full of statistical triumphs that put him among the best in the conference. Ausmus hit .360 overall on the season, but he saw that average jump to .394 thanks to 11 multi-hit games versus league opponents. The .394 clip was the fifth highest average in SAC games this season while his 41 hits against SAC opponents were third-best.
"I was really focused in conference games," Ausmus said of his numbers versus the SAC. "I was frustrated with myself because with runners in scoring position, I don't feel like I hit as well as I did last year."
In 28 SAC games, Ausmus tallied 16 extra-base hits and 71 total bases ranking him third in the conference with those numbers. His 63 hits were fifth among SAC players and 40th among all Division II players.
The native of Mossy Creek was fourth in conference and 39th nationally with 15 doubles, fifth in the league with three triples and tied for sixth with eight home runs that puts him 40th nationally. His six round trippers in SAC games was the third-highest total in the league.
In his first season as an outfielder, Ausmus started 45 of 46 games in either left field or right field. The junior notched eight outfield assists.
"Early in the season, I wasn't very comfortable out there," Ausmus said of his play in the outfield. "I was on the corners this year which put me in positions to make throws and get a lot of assists. As the season progressed I felt really comfortable."
Ausmus is the 88th member of the Carson-Newman baseball team to be honored as an All-Conference selection since its inception in 1990. Only the Catawba Indians (131) have more honorees than the Eagles.
All-SAC First Team
C – Jonathan Zalud, Anderson
1B – Steven Cooper, Anderson
2B – Brantley Rumford, Lenoir-Rhyne
SS – Craig Brooks, Catawba
3B – Ryan Cranmer, Newberry
OF – Ivan Vieitez, Lenoir-Rhyne
OF – Josh Coker, Lincoln Memorial
OF – Nate Galliford, Anderson
DH – T.J. Wharton, Catawba
SP – Craig Brooks, Tusculum
SP – Olen Little, Wingate
SP – Shaefer Shepard, Catawba
RP – Ryan McClintock, Catawba
All-SAC Second Team
C – Josh Clark, Wingate
1B – Kelvin Brito, Lincoln Memorial
2B – Vinny Ferrara, Tusculum
2B – Jean Rodriguez, Lincoln Memorial
SS – Evan Rogers, Mars Hill
3B – T.J. Giczkowski, Coker
OF – Bo Ausmus, Carson-Newman
OF – Eric Serra, Wingate
OF – Keaton Hawks, Catawba
DH – Taylor Foster, Tusculum
SP – Ben Currie, Wingate
SP – Wesley Camp, Newberry
SP – Jake Nidiffer, Newberry
RP – Josh Coker, Lincoln Memorial
All-SAC Honorable Mention
C – Kyle Floyd, Lincoln Memorial
1B – Paul Kronenfeld, Catawba
SS – Michael Godinez, Wingate
3B – John Topoleski, Tusculum
OF – Blake Houston, Catawba
OF – Ernie Kirkwood, Coker
OF – Alex Kirby, Newberry
DH – Eric Barbieri, Newberry
SP – Cole Cromer, Newberry
SP – Landon Beck, Anderson
SP – Caleb Edwards, Mars Hill
RP – Daniel Nations, Newberry
SAC Gold Glove Team
C – Jonathan Zalud, Anderson
1B – Dalton Eisenbath, Mars Hill
2B – Julio Zubillaga, Catawba
SS – Brett Cash, Anderson
3B – John Topoleski, Tusculum
OF – Tommy Scala, Mars Hill
OF – Alex Kirby, Newberry
OF – Bo Ausmus, Carson-Newman
P – Wesley Camp, Newberry
SAC Player of the Year: Josh Coker, Lincoln Memorial
SAC Pitcher of the Year: Craig Brooks, Catawba
SAC Freshman of the Year: Shaefer Shepard, Catawba
SAC Co-Coaches of the Year: Jim Gantt, Catawba/Jeff Gregory, Wingate
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