Baseball 6/24/2013 10:40:00 AM

Watkins Third-Team Daktronics All-American

05/22/2009

Four WVIAC baseball standouts, including Mountain Cat right-hander Ben Watkins (Tire Hill, Pa.), have earned mention on the Daktronics 2009 NCAA Division II All-America Baseball Team. Fairmont State first baseman Zack Solly and West Virginia State outfielder Eric Workman were named to the second team, while Watkins and Concord shortstop/pitcher Donovan Huffer grabbed spots on the third team.

Solly, the first Fairmont State player to earn Division II All-America honors, led the WVIAC with a .488 batting average. The Morgantown native added 10 home runs and 49 runs batted as he paced the Falcons to the WVIAC Central Division title.

Workman, the WVIAC Player of the Year, tallied a league-high 62 runs as the Yellow Jackets finished third in the Atlantic Region Tournament and won the WVIAC Southern Division regular season crown. The Ivydale, WV senior notched a team-best .458 batting average, slugged 11 homers, and drove in 48 runs.

Watkins, the Daktronics Atlantic Region Pitcher of the Year, established a new WVIAC single-season record with a microscopic 0.84 earned run average. Watkins struck out 63 hitters, while only walking four on his way to a 7-1 record for the Mountain Cats. Opponents only managed a .203 batting average and one home run versus the WVIAC Pitcher of the Year in 53 1/3 innings of work.

Huffer earned third team utility honors and was a threat for the Mountain Lions as a shortstop and pitcher. The Churchville, VA native ranked among the conference leaders with a .439 batting average and 54 runs scored. He also racked up a 6-2 pitching record and a 3.50 earned run average.

2009 Daktronics NCAA Division II All-America Baseball Team:
First Team
P-Gabriel Duran (Dowling)
P-Chris Armijo (Incarnate Word)
P-Dan Wright (Lynn)
P-Hayden Simpson (Southern Arkansas)
RP-Chris Matlock (Central Missouri)
C-Matt Adams (Slippery Rock)
1B-Jon Alia (Cal State-Dominguez Hills)
2B-Cannon Lester (Southern Arkansas)
3B-Yan Gomes (Barry)
SS-Matt Bodenchuk (Mesa State)
OF-Jason Forbes (Colorado State-Pueblo)
OF-Brandon Decker (Valdosta State)
OF-Adam Darby (Harding)
DH-Travis Howard (USC-Aiken)
UT-Matt Costello (Valdosta State)

Second Team
P-Gary Moran (Sonoma State)
P-Kyle Vazquez (Franklin Pierce)
P-Blake Keitzman (Western Oregon)
P-Tom Cote (Franklin Pierce)
RP-Shaun Larsen (Southern Indiana)
C-Jordan Schmitt (Abilene Christian)
1B-Zack Solly (Fairmont State)
2B-Kevin Becker (Mesa State)
3B-Craig Lyerly (Catawba)
SS-Rich Racoblado (Mount Olive)
OF-Eric Workman (West Virginia State)
OF-Matt Cotellese (West Chester)
OF-J.D. Martinez (Nova Southeastern)
DH-Keith Towne (Angelo State)
UT-Chris Adamson (Angelo State)

Third Team
P-Ben Watkins (Pitt Johnstown)
P-Darin Gorski (Kutztown)
P-Cody Walden (Armstrong Atlantic)
P-Charley Short (Barry)
RP-Brandon Graves (Valdosta State)
C-Ryan Query (Catawba)
1B-Rob Dahlberg (West Alabama)
2B-Drew Cross (St. Edwards)
3B-Jacob Petkac (Ashland)
SS-Nick Shaw (Barry)
OF-Jeff Foltz (Ashland)
OF-Chance Tuttle (Central Missouri)
OF-Bryan Fogle (Erskine)
DH-Douglas Toro (Lynn)
UT-Donovan Huffer (Concord)

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