2009 All-Arkansas Collegiate Team

Natural State Baseball is pleased to announce its 2009 All-Arkansas Collegiate Team and Awards. The Arkansas Razorbacks were named the Team of the Year. The Hogs were 41-24 in 2009 and finished tied for 3rd in the College World Series. Arkansas was 7-2 in the NCAA tournament.

Michael Bumpers at UAPB was named the Coach of the Year. Bumpers was named the interim coach of the Golden Lions in 2007 and became head coach in 2008. In 2009 he led the Golden Lions to their first ever winning record in the SWAC and finished with a 21-25 record overall after going 10-33 the previous season.

Southern Arkansas, which spent much of the season ranked #1 in the Division II polls, took home awards for the Player of the Year and the Pitcher of the Year, as well as the Natural Award, given to the best player Native to Arkansas. SAU also led all schools with players represented with five.

Cannon Lester, an infielder for the Muleriders, was named the Player of the Year and the winner of the Natural Award. Lester batted .393 with 20 doubles and 19 home runs. He also drove in 72 runs. Lester was a member of the Natural State Baseball All-Arkansas team in 2008.

Hayden Simpson of Southern Arkansas was named the Pitcher of the Year. Simpson was also named to the 2008 Natural State Baseball All-Arkansas team. The sophomore right-hander was 12-1 in 2009 with a 2.82 ERA and recorded 132 strikeouts in 108.2 innings.

The Freshman of the year was UAFS first baseman Justin Barnes. The Lions freshman hit .400 with 11 home runs and 55 RBI.


All-Arkansas Team

Catcher – Brandon Graves, SAU (.339 avg, 8 HR, 56 RBI)
First – Andy Wilkins, UA (.319 avg, 19 HR, 58 RBI)
Second – Cannon Lester, SAU (.393 avg, 19 HR, 72 RBI)
Third – James Schroeder, SAU (.344 avg, 19 HR, 88 RBI)
Shortstop – Andrew Whittington, SAU (.372 avg, 7 HR, 76 RBI)
Left field – Will Gowdy, OBU (.429 avg, 11 HR, 55 RBI)
Center field – Adam Darby, Harding (.426 avg, 16 HR, 64 RBI)
Right field – Sam Neal, Lyon (.347 avg, 14 HR, 59 RBI)
Designated Hitter – Justin Barnes, UAFS (.400, 11 HR, 55 RBI)
Starting Pitcher – Hayden Simpson, SAU (12-1, 2.82 ERA, 132 K)
Starting Pitcher – Chris Brown, HSU (10-2, 2.95 ERA)
Starting Pitcher – Justin Moring, UAPB (9-2, 2.95 ERA)
Relief Pitcher – Derek Vaughn, UAFS (6-2, 2.87 ERA, 7 saves)
Relief Pitcher – Stephen Richards, UA (6-2, 2.19 ERA, 9 saves)
Pitcher – Dallas Keuchel, UA (9-3, 3.92 ERA)
Pitcher – Nick Salahub, Lyon (11-2, 3.53 ERA, 5 saves)



Player of the Year – Cannon Lester, SAU
Pitcher of the Year – Hayden Simpson, SAU
Freshman of the Year – Justin Barnes, UAFS
The Natural (Arkansan of the Year) – Cannon Lester, SAU
Coach of the Year – Michael Bumpers, UAPB
Team of the Year – Arkansas Razorbacks



Honorable mention: Ben Tschepikow (UA), Zack Cox (UA), Mike Bolsinger (UA), Murray Watts (ASU), Todd Baumgartner (ASU), Matt Apfel (UALR), Jerome McCollum (UAPB), Garry Thomas, Jr. (AB), Jeremy Sauceda (HSU), Jeremy Hogan (UO), Brock Green (OBU), Will Gowdy-pitcher (OBU), Colby Pratz (WB), Nick D'Amico (Lyon), Evan Segler (Lyon), Zac Wallace (Lyon), Joey Winiecki (UAFS), Daniel Ward (Hendrix), Jeff Forgerson (Hendrix), Clark Sims (Hendrix), Matt Gaglio (Hendrix), Dane Lucas (SAU), Aaron Terry (SAU), James Schroeder-pitcher (SAU)


2008 NSB All-Arkansas Collegiate Team