June 10, 2008
COLLEGE STATION, Texas- Three members of the Big 12 champion Texas A&M baseball team were named to the American Baseball Coaches Association (ABCA) All-Midwest Region squad, the organization announced Tuesday.
Senior Dane Carter (Graham, Texas) and juniors Luke Anders (College Station, Texas) and Jose Duran (Fort Worth, Texas) were all second-team selections through a vote by the region’s coaches.
Carter, a first-team All-Big 12 selection, had a monster year for the Aggies at third base. The senior hit .371 with 16 doubles, eight home runs and 64 runs driven in. Carter led the team and tied a school record with nine triples, while his .591 slugging percentage ranked second on the squad. He was a 22nd-round selection by the Atlanta Braves.
Anders, also a first-team all-conference honoree, bashed a team-best 16 home runs in 2008 to go along with a .349 average and 58 RBI. His 16 round-trippers were the most in a single season by an Aggie batter in nine years. Anders, a 16th-round pick of the New York Yankees, led the Big 12 with a .660 slugging percentage and set a single-season school record after being hit by 21 pitches.
Duran, the Big 12 Player and Newcomer of the Year, finished the season with a team-best .372 batting average to go along with six home runs and 68 RBI. The shortstop collected 103 hits in 2008, ranking him third all-time on the single-season chart and becoming only the fourth player in school history to total 100 hits in a season. Duran was a sixth-round pick of the Milwaukee Brewers.
The Big 12 claimed 13 of the 28 spots on the team, with the Aggies joining Missouri and Nebraska with three selections apiece.
The Midwest Region is comprised of 34 schools made up primarily of the Big 12, Missouri Valley, Summit League and Mountain West conferences. The ABCA is the primary professional organization for baseball coaches at the amateur level. Its over 6,200 members represent all 50 states and 22 countries.
2008 American Baseball Coaches Association (ABCA) Midwest All-Region Team
First Team
Catcher - Mitch Abeita, Sr., Nebraska
First Base ?- Rebel Ridling, Sr., Oklahoma State
Second Base ?- Ryan Goins, So., Dallas Baptist
Third Base ?- Conor Gillaspie, Jr., Wichita State
Shortstop ?- Brandon Douglas, Jr., UNI
Outfield ?- Brian Van Kirk, Sr., Oral Roberts
Outfield ?- Andy Dirks, Sr., Wichita State
Outfield ?- Roger Kieschnick, Jr., Texas Tech
Outfield ?- Joe Scaperotta, Sr., New Mexico State
Designated Hitter ?- Ben Carlson, So., Missouri State
Starting Pitcher ?- Aaron Crow, Jr., Missouri
Starting Pitcher ?- Rob Musgrave, Sr., Wichita State
Starting Pitcher ?- Tim Clubb, So., Missouri State
Relief Pitcher ?- Andrew Cashner, Jr., TCU
Second Team
Catcher ?- Kevin Dubler, Jr., Illinois State
First Base ?- Luke Anders, Jr., Texas A&M
Second Base ?- Jake Opitz, Sr., Nebraska
Third Base ?- Dane Carter, Sr., Texas A&M
Shortstop ?- Jose Duran, Jr., Texas A&M
Outfield ?- Aaron Senne, So., Missouri
Outfield ?- Sean McNaughton, So., Brigham Young
Outfield - Evan Bigley, Jr., Dallas Baptist
Outfield ?- Kyle Russell, Jr., Texas
Designated Hitter ?- Jacob Priday, Sr., Missouri
Starting Pitcher ?- Johnny Dorn, Sr., Nebraska
Starting Pitcher ?- Aaron Shafer, Jr., Wichita State
Starting Pitcher ?- Anthony Capra, Jr., Wichita State
Relief Pitcher ?- Daniel Edwards, Sr., Kansas State
There are four outfielders on each team because of ties.