The University of Alabama at Birmingham Athletics
Three Blazers Earn Conference USA Postseason Honors
5/20/2008 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
May 20, 2008
NEW ORLEANS, La. - Senior first baseman Ryan Keedy was named to the All-Conference USA First Team on Tuesday, while senior left fielder Phil Bell was tabbed second-team All-Conference USA. Freshman second baseman Nick Crawford was tabbed with C-USA All-Freshman Team recognition.
Keedy garners first-team accolades after leading the league in batting average (.429), hits (93), doubles (27) and on base percentage (.528), while finishing second in RBI (65). His 27 doubles were are a school record. Keedy's .429 batting average is the second highest single-season figure in Conference USA history, while his on base percentage also ranks second all-time. In addition to his play at the plate, Keedy has made just one error all season at first base, while leading the league in putouts with 483.
The Gardendale, Ala. native has also hit nine home runs this season and has 45 walks and 32 strikeouts, in addition to recording 32 multiple hit games.
East Carolina's Corey Kemp, a first-team All-Conference USA pick, was named C-USA Player of the Year. Kemp is batting .358 with 15 home runs, 66 RBI, 72 hits, 11 doubles and has a .453 on base percentage. He also has 36 walks and 38 strikeouts, while recording 20 multiple hit games.
Rounding out the first-team were James Ewing (Southern Miss), Bryan Pounds (Houston), Diego Seastrunk (Rice), Harrison Eldridge (East Carolina), Nate Lape (Marshall), Jake Stewart (Houston), Anthony Scelfo (Tulane), Ryan Berry (Rice), Shooter Hunt (Tulane), Barry Bowden (Southern Miss), Seth Maness (East Carolina) and Tyler Conn (Southern Miss).
Bell earned second-team honors having hit .308 in the regular season with eight home runs, 13 doubles and 53 RBI. The Gulf Breeze, Fla. native has also legged out four triples and has 14 stolen bases.
Bell was joined on the second-team by Stephen Batts (East Carolina), Brian Dozier (Southern Miss), Seth Henry (Tulane), Rob Segedin (Tulane), Colin Arnold (UCF), Jared Gayheart (Rice), Aaron Luna (Rice), Adam Zornes (Rice), Victor Gomez (Marshall), Steve Blevins (Marshall), Justin Bristow (East Carolina), Chris Kelley (Rice), Wes Musick (Houston) and Cole St. Clair (Rice).
Crawford has recorded a UAB and Conference USA record 20 sacrifice bunts this season, while batting .330 to go with an on base percentage of .474 to earn all-freshman team honors. The rookie has 31 walks and just 20 strikeouts and has driven in 28 runs.
Rounding out the all-freshman team were Chase Dempsay (Houston), Matt Evers (Rice), Gomez (Marshall), Rick Hague (Rice), Dustin Harrington (East Carolina), Blake Kelso (Houston), Maness (East Carolina), Todd McInnis (Southern Miss), Nick Pepitone (Tulane) and Segedin (Tulane).
Hunt was named the league's pitcher of the year, while Rice head coach Wayne Graham was named the Clark-LeClair Coach of the Year.
Maness and Bristow from East Carolina won freshman of the year and newcomer of the year, respectively.
UAB will begin play at the 2008 Entergy Conference USA Championship on Wednesday when it takes on top-seeded Rice at 12:30 p.m. at Greer Field at Turchin Stadium.
