Complete Daktronics All-American Release; Complete NCBWA All-Region List

EVANSVILLE, Ind. – University of Southern Indiana senior designated hitter/right-handed pitcher Tyler Choate (Carmi, Illinois) was named Daktronics honorable mention All-American by the NCAA Division II Sports Information Directors. The Screaming Eagles also had four players named All-Midwest Region by the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association.

 

The 11^th USI baseball player to earn All-America honors, Choate also was named NCBWA first-team All-Midwest Region. The All-Region award was his third of the month, following selection for the Daktronics and American Baseball Coaches Association squads.

 

Choate had a team-best .342 batting average and seven home runs in 56 games, while ranking second on the team with 49 RBIs and 17 doubles. The first-team All-GLVC designated hitter also recorded a 6-1 mark and a 2.37 ERA in 10 appearances on the mound before suffering an elbow injury midway through the season.

 

Joining Choate on the NCBWA first team were senior right-hander Trevor Leach (Danville, Indiana) and junior shortstop Brad Vance (Louisville, Kentucky). The first-team All-Region honor was the second of the spring for Leach, while Vance was named to the first team for the first time.

 

Leach led USI with a 9-3 overall record and 76 strikeouts in 15 starts this season. He also led USI with 117.2 innings pitched and seven complete games. The 2010 honorable mention All-American and two-time first-team All-GLVC hurler finished his career at USI as the all-time leader in wins (33), appearances (86), innings pitched (357), and strikeouts (246). He also ranks eighth all-time with a 2.97 ERA.

 

Vance became USI's first recipient of an ABCA Gold Glove last week, while earning second-team All-Midwest Region honors from the ABCA and Daktronics. He led the Eagles in RBIs for the second year in a row, driving in 54 runs, and made a smooth transition from second base to short, posting a .956 fielding percentage.

 

Vance was second on the team with a .314 batting average and tied for second on the squad with four home runs. He also led the team with 20 doubles.

 

Senior right-hander Dan Marcacci (Jupiter, Florida) was chosen for the second-team All-Midwest Region squad by the NCBWA. Marcacci, who was named second-team All-Region by the ABCA last week, started the season as the team's closer before moving back into the rotation as a dominating starter. He finished the year with a team-best 1.80 ERA and four saves in 18 appearances, while posting a 6-1 overall record.

 

The Eagles finished 2011 with a 37-19 mark and the GLVC East Division championship. USI also advanced to the semifinals of the GLVC Tournament and appeared in the NCAA Division II Tournament for the fourth time in last five years.