Tusculum’s Rivera, Wingate’s Benton Named To ABCA/Rawlings All-America Baseball Team
MONTGOMERY, Ala. --- Tusculum College outfielder Carlos Rivera and Wingate University designated hitter Josh Benton have been named to the 2007 ABCA/Rawlings NCAA Division II All-America Baseball Third Team announced officials. The American Baseball Coaches Association's All-America committee released the team in conjunction with the 40th NCAA II Baseball Championship being played at Riverwalk Stadium.
Rivera, becomes the third player this season and the eighth in Tusculum history to earn All-America distinction and seventh during the Coach Doug Jones' era.
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Carlos Rivera |
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Josh Benton |
Teammates Maikol Gonzalez and Kevin Hammons were named to the Daktronics All-America Team last week. Rivera also joins Chad Busch (1994, 1995, 1996), Ryan Baker (1998), Guy O'Connell (2003), Brent Gabel (2005) and Greg Stotser (2006) as the only TC players to garner All-America recognition on the diamond.
Rivera, a junior outfielder from Leesburg, Va., established a new school and conference record with 101 hits in 2007. The Daktronics and ABCA All-South Region First Team pick, finished second on the team hitting .398 including .444 at the NCAA South Regional. In Tusculum's 7-6 regional win over Florida Gulf Coast, Rivera went 5-for-5 with a pair of doubles, earning him a spot on the South Region All-Tournament squad. The All-SAC First Team honoree finished third on the team with 59 RBI and second with 23 stolen bases.
Tusculum, ranked No. 10 in NCAA Division II, wrapped up its best season in school history as the Pioneers went 50-14 and finished third at last week's Regional. TC was making its third NCAA postseason appearance in five years and the 50 wins are the most in both school and conference history.
Benton had a tremendous season in the batter's box for the Bulldogs. A left-handed hitter with power to all fields, Benton was a staple in the middle of the Bulldog lineup. The Mount Pleasant High School graduate started 56 games in the three-hole and three games at cleanup.
Wingate's 2007 team MVP, Benton led the Bulldogs with 82 hits, 18 doubles, 14 home runs, 58 RBI, 25 walks, 144 total bases, .364 batting average, .640 slugging percentage and seven sacrifice flies. In addition, Benton had 48 runs scored, one triple and four stolen bases. He also compiled a 3-2 overall pitching record during the 2007 campaign.
In the SAC statistical rankings, Benton was second in total bases (144), second in doubles, third in hits, third in home runs and fourth in RBI.
For his Bulldog career, Benton had a .314 batting average with 31 home runs and 133 RBI. A four-year starter, he also had 47 doubles, 123 runs scored and a career slugging percentage of .530.
2007 ABCA/Rawlings Division II All-America Baseball Team
First Team
1B: Erik Lovett, Mount Olive
2B: Darin Mastroianni, Southern Indiana
3B: Jeff Carroll, CSU Los Angeles
SS: Matt Bodenchuk, Mesa State
IF: Matt Cantele, UC San Diego
OF: Nicolas Boisvert, Lynn
OF: Josh Miller, West Virginia State
OF: Craig Corrado, Tampa
OF: Jason Rust, Wilmington
C: Ben Barrone, Winona State
DH: Miguel Porchas, New Mexico Highlands
SP: Dylan Owen, Francis Marion
SP: Brent Lysander, Sonoma State
SP: Patrick Colgan, St. Edward's
SP: Justin Phillips, Harding
RP: Jameson Maj, Abilene Christian
Second Team
1B: Clay Calfee, Angelo State
2B: Steve Allred, Angelo State
3B: Jeremy Haworth, Ouachita Baptist
SS: Scott Bidroski, Wayne State (Neb.)
IF: Alex Castellanos, Belmont Abbey
OF: Chance Beasley, Ouachita Baptist
OF: Matt Lawson, UC San Diego
OF: Matt Mindick, Nova Southeastern
OF: Mitch Walser, Upper Iowa
C: Breck Draper, Central Oklahoma
DH: Chris Sheehan, USC Aiken
SP: Jon Bjelland, Minnesota State Mankato
SP: Kevin Ferguson, Tampa
SP: Mike McCardell, Kutztown
SP: Brett Armour, Mesa State
RP: Jonathan Holt, Tampa
Third Team
1B: Josh Paul, Central Missouri
2B: Cody Lusero, Nebraska-Kearney
3B: Stephen Nordan, Mount Olive
SS: Steve Condotta, Florida Tech
INF: Keith Renaud, Franklin Pierce
OF: Carlos Rivera, Tusculum
OF: Dustin Jones, Wayne State
OF: David Lough, Mercyhurst
OF: Drew Caraway, Angelo State
OF: Justin Mills, Georgia College
C: Reece Gorman, Metro State
DH: Drew Pare, West Chester
DH: Josh Benton, Wingate
SP: Matt Marksbury, Northern Kentucky
SP: Eric Loh, Bryant
SP: Brett Durand, Delta State
SP: Jarrett Coker, Columbus State
SP: Bryan Oland, Sonoma State
RP: Paige Dumont, Sonoma State