2013 All-Arkansas Collegiate Team

2013 All-Arkansas Collegiate Team

Natural State Baseball is pleased to announce its 2013 All-Arkansas Collegiate Team and Awards.

The University of Central Arkansas is the Team of the Year. The Bears recorded their best season in school history, going 42-22 in 2013 and were ranked for the first time as a D1 team in March. The Bears won the Southland Conference Tournament and earned their first ever berth in the NCAA Tournament, where they went 3-2, and placed 4 players on the All-Regional Team. Bryce Biggerstaff got the season started off with a bang when he pitched the school's second ever no-hitter in February against Jackson State.

Arkansas-Pine Bluff Head Coach Carlos James is the Coach of the Year. James was named the SWAC Coach of the Year in 2013. The Lions were 21-30 overall and 13-11 in conference play. Their 21 wins is 13 more than they earned in 2012.

The Player of the Year is Southern Arkansas senior David Harris. The Mulerider shortstop hit .358 in 2013, with 22 doubles and 12 home runs. He was 13-15 in stolen bases and knocked in 65. Harris, the unanimous Great American Conference Player of the Year, was one of 11 finalists for the inaugural Josh Willingham Award, which honors the top D2 player in the country.

Ryne Stanek from the University of Arkansas, is the pitcher of the year. The junior right-hander was 10-2 in 2013, with a 1.39 ERA and 79 strikeouts in 97.1 innings. He beat Wichita State in the Manhattan Regional and was a member of the All-Regional team. Stanek was an All-SEC first team player this year, a finalist for the Golden Spikes Award, and a second-team All-American.

Connor Gilmore, a right-handed pitcher at UCA, is the Freshman of the Year. Gilmore pitched complete game shutouts in the SLC Tournament (against Southeastern Louisiana in the championship game) and the NCAA Tournament (against South Alabama) to end his outstanding 2013 campaign. He finished the year 5-0 with a 0.73 ERA.

The Natural, awarded to the best Arkansan playing collegiate baseball in Arkansas, goes to Ouachita Baptist's Davis Ward. The Tigers right-handed pitcher, a junior from Little Rock, was 9-3 with a 1.74 ERA this season. He threw 10 complete games and had 80 strikeouts. He was the Great American Conference's Pitcher of the Year and member of the ABCA All-Central Regional team.

All-Arkansas Team

Catcher – Patrick Castleberry, ABC (.389, 9 HR, 55 RBI)
First – Bryan Lynn, Lyon (.325, 15 doubles, 47 RBI)
Second – Chris Burk, UALR (.340, 15 doubles, 55 RBI)
Third – Tanner Rockwell, ABC (.385, 9 HR, 50 RBI)
Shortstop – David Harris, SAU (.358, 22 doubles, 65 RBI)
Left Field – Myles Hiebert, CBC (.329, 12 doubles, 12 HR, 64 RBI)
Center Field – Brady Bashier, CBC (.415, 14 doubles, 29 stolen bases)
Right Field – Forrestt Allday, UCA (.365, 14 doubles, 15 stolen bases)
Designated Hitter – Colby Rogers, Lyon (.371, 25 doubles, 55 RBI)

Starting Pitcher – Ben Neyen, Lyon (10-3, 2.10 ERA, 7 CG)
Starting Pitcher – Ryne Stanek, UA (10-2, 1.39 ERA, 79 strikeouts)
Starting Pitcher – Davis Ward, OBU (9-3, 1.74 ERA, 10 CG)
Relief Pitcher – Colby Suggs, UA (1.74 ERA, 13 saves)
Relief Pitcher – Jordan Wright, Henderson State (1.57 ERA, 10 saves)
Pitcher – James Baune, SAU (13-1, 3.07 ERA, 5 CG)
Pitcher – Caleb McClanahan, UCA (10-6, 2.43 ERA, 5 CG, 80 strikeouts)

Player of the Year – Davis Harris, SAU
Pitcher of the Year – Ryne Stanek, UA
Freshman of the Year – Connor Gilmore, UCA
The Natural (Arkansan of the Year) – Davis Ward, OBU
Coach of the Year – Carlos James, UAPB
Team of the Year – University of Central Arkansas Bears

Honorable mention: Ian Bryan (UO), Freddy Prince (UO), Mitchell Powers (UO), Sam Shook (UO), Nick Brill (UO), Logan Johnson (UAM), Brent Noble (UAM), Taylor Eaves (UAM), Chad Miller (UAM), Ben Agredano (UAM), Alex Lang (UAM), Ryan Taylor (ATU), Cesar Abreu (ATU), Cole Fergus (ATU), Thomas Biocic (ATU), Josh Spears (Harding), Lester Clark (CBC), Jon Mark Abbey (SAU), Timothy Buchanan (SAU), Justin Thomas (SAU), Jason Dahl (SAU), Chris Quinn (SAU), Brady Capshaw (SAU), Ryan Bell (SAU), Collin Radack (Hendrix), Zac Zdanowicz (Henderson St.), Blake Johnson (UALR), Austin Pfeiffer (UALR), Bryson Thionnet (UALR), Ben Crumpton (UALR), Ethan McKinzie (UCA), Michael Marietta (UCA), Barrett Astin (UA), Randall Fant (UA), Michael Gunn (UA), Jalen Beeks (UA), Brian Anderson (UA)