Four PBC Baseball Players Named All-American

Four Peach Belt Conference baseball players were named All-Americans as the American Baseball Coaches Association (ABCA) and Daktronics released their year-end teams.  UNC Pembroke’s Braxton Lewis is the only player to appear on both squads as he was named a first-team All-American by Daktronics and third team by the ABCA.  Georgia College’s Tanner Funk was named an ABCA first-team All-American while his teammate Shawn Ward was named third team along with Francis Marion’s Don Sandifer.  Funk and UNCP’s Jason Coker were named honorable mention by Daktronics.

Lewis allowed just two earned runs in 47 innings of relief work for UNC Pembroke this season while recording a 7-1 record with a 0.38 ERA, nine saves and a pair of combined shutouts. The Seven Springs product struck out 51 batters over his 26 relief appearances and has walked just six batters over his last 39 innings of work. He surrendered just 13 hits in as many appearances (23.0 innings) against conference foes this season and retired the sides in order in 18 innings from the hill in 2011.

In his first year with the Bobcats, Funk was second on the team in hitting at .393 with two home runs and 54 RBI. He also led the Peach Belt Conference (PBC) in doubles with 20. He slugged .520 and scored 45 runs. He becomes the third shortstop to take ABCA All-America honors for GC and the first since Mike DeVeaux (2005-06) in 2006.

The PBC Co-Player of the Year, Ward put up gaudy numbers in 2011. A .398 hitter, Ward paced the PBC in RBI at 61, adding a slugging percentage of .612 and 49 runs scored. Ward is the sixth GC outfielder to be named All-America by the ABCA. The most recent was Justin Mills (2004-07) in 2007.

Sandifer ended the 2011 campaign with an 11-3 record and a 2.33 earned run average.  He led the Peach Belt Conference in wins, strikeouts (105), and opponents’ batting average against at .193.  In 108 innings pitched, he allowed only 75 hits and walked just 16, ranking him 31st nationally in fewest bases-on-balls issued per nine innings.  He recorded six complete games, including a school-record three shutouts. He was named the Peach Belt’s Pitcher of the Year for 2011 and was also named to several All-Region teams.  He was picked for the ABCA’s 2011 preseason All-America squad as well.

The ABCA All-America team is selected by Division II head coaches while the Daktronics team is chosen by Sports Information Directors nationwide.

ABCA All-America

First Team
Tanner Funk, Georgia College

Third Team
Shawn Ward, Georgia College
Don Sandifer, Francis Marion
Braxton Lewis, UNC Pembroke

Daktronics All-America

First Team
Braxton Lewis, UNC Pembroke

Honorable Mention
Tanner Funk, Georgia College
Jason Coker, UNC Pembroke