Monday, June 25, 2012

2012 Natural State Baseball All-Arkansas Team


2012 All-Arkansas Collegiate Team


Natural State Baseball is pleased to announce its 2012 All-Arkansas Collegiate Team and Awards. The University of Arkansas Razorbacks, who were 46-22 in 2012, is the Arkansas Team of the Year. They won the Rice regional and the Baylor Super Regional and advanced to the Final Four in the College World Series. It was the Razorbacks' 7th trip to the College World Series in school history, and the 11th straight season to play in the NCAA Tournament.

Arkansas State head coach Tommy Raffo is the Coach of the Year. Raffo, in his fourth season as head coach of the Red Wolves, led the team to a 2nd place regular season finish in the Sun Belt and the most overall wins (34) in the conference. The 34 wins are the fourth most in school history and the most since winning 35 in 1997.

Lester Clark from North Arkansas College is the Player of the Year, and Doug Shields of Southern Arkansas University is the Pitcher of the Year.

Clark, a sophomore catcher for the Pioneers, batted .500 for the season with 18 doubles and 14 home runs. He also drove in 71 runs and scored 70. In 2011, Clark was the Natural State Baseball Freshman of the Year and the NJCAA Player of the Year.

Shields, a senior starter for the Muleriders, was 9-2 with a 2.93 ERA in 15 games. He struck out 95 and walked just 19 in 110.2 innings. He was also represented on the 2011 Natural State Baseball All-Arkansas Team.

Arkansas State senior starting pitcher Jacob Lee was named the winner of the Natural Award, which is given to the best player from the state of Arkansas. Lee, a native of Jonesboro, was 9-1 with a 2.77 ERA in 16 starts for the Red Wolves. He was named the 2012 Sun Belt Conference Pitcher of the Year. Lee was a member of the 2010 All-Arkansas Team. He was drafted in the 9th round by the Cleveland Indians in the 2012 MLB Draft.

The Freshman of the Year is North Arkansas shortstop Michael Upton. He hit .437 with 15 doubles, 4 home runs and 69 RBI for the Pioneers.


All-Arkansas Team
Catcher – Lester Clark, North Ark (.500, 18 doubles, 14 HR, 71 RBI)
First – Jonathan Finnegan, ATU (.398, 20 doubles, 12 HR, 47 RBI)
Second – Clark Sims, Hendrix (.372, 14 doubles, 7 triples, 16 SB)
Third – Tanner Rockwell, ABC (.391, 14 doubles, 7 HR, 17 SB)
Shortstop – Michael Upton, North Ark (.437, 15 doubles, 69 RBI)
Left Field – Sean Bignall, UALR (.346, 13 doubles, 18 HR, 64 RBI)
Center Field – Cameron Bentley, UALR (.339, 17 doubles, 22 SB)
Right Field – Keegan Ghidotti, OBU (.342, 16 doubles, 13 SB)
Designated Hitter – David Allday, SAU (.339, 21 doubles, 58 RBI)

Starting Pitcher – Doug Shields, SAU (9-2, 2.93 ERA, 95 strikeouts)
Starting Pitcher – Jacob Lee, ASU (9-1, 2.77 ERA, 86 strikeouts)
Starting Pitcher – James Baune, SAU (7-1, 2.06 ERA, .207 OBA)
Relief Pitcher – Kyle Thompson, UAFS (2-2, 0.98 ERA, 10 saves)
Relief Pitcher – Justin Thomas, SAU (5-2, 0.67 ERA, 11 saves)
Pitcher – Barrett Astin, UA (3-5, 1.99 ERA, 11 saves)
Pitcher – David Copeland, North Ark (10-1, 2.74 ERA, 75 strikeouts)

Player of the Year – Lester Clark, North Arkansas
Pitcher of the Year – Doug Shields, Southern Arkansas
Freshman of the Year – Michael Upton, North Arkansas
The Natural (Arkansan of the Year) – Jacob Lee, Arkansas State
Coach of the Year – Tommy Raffo, Arkansas State
Team of the Year – University of Arkansas Razorbacks

Honorable mention: Nick Gumm (UAFS), Jordan May (UAFS), Sam Meloy (UAFS), Brandon Taylor (UAFS), Josh Chism (UAM), Danny Loya (UAM), Thomas Biocic (ATU), Landon Sullins (ATU), Madison Beaird (ATU), Nate Wilder (ATU), Aaron Luchterhand (ATU), Myles Hiebert (CBC), Henry Castaigne (Lyon), Bryan Lynn (Lyon), Jason Dahl (SAU), Rafael Thomas (SAU), Brady Capshaw (SAU), Josh Salmon (Henderson), Brittain Diamond (Henderson), Collin Radack (Hendrix), Brock Green (OBU), Zac Treece (OBU), Patrick Castleberry (ABC), Chance Cleveland (UALR), Charles Beshears (North Ark), Matthew Crowder (North Ark), Thomas Haas (North Ark), Casey Moore (North Ark), Patrick Phillips (North Ark), Jonathan Davis (UCA), Forrestt Allday (UCA), Claude Johnson (ASU), Michael Faulkner (ASU), Logan Uxa (ASU), John Koch (ASU), Matt Reynolds (UA), Brandon Moore (UA), Ryne Stanek (UA), DJ Baxendale (UA), Colby Suggs (UA), Cade Lynch (UA)

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