Four PBC Baseball Players Named Preseason All-Americans by NCBWA

The National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association (NCBWA) has released their 2012 preseason All-America teams and four Peach Belt Conference players have been recognized.  Francis Marion's Don Sandifer, UNC Pembroke's Braxton Lewis and USC Aiken's Nick Aranas were named to the first team, while FMU's Buddy Sosnoskie was named a second-team All-American.  Armstrong Atlantic State's John Roberts and Montevallo's Austin Dubberly were named honorable mention.  

The NCBWA also released the Southeast All-Region team which featured 22 PBC players.

Sandifer is the 2011 PBC Pitcher of the Year.  Returning for his junior season, the Bamberg, S.C., native was 11-3 with a 2.33 ERA in 15 appearances last season.  He led the Peach Belt with his 11 wins and also led the league with 105 strikeouts and a .193 opponent batting average.  Sandifer pitched 108 innings with six complete games and three shutouts.  He was named the PBC Pitcher of the Week twice.

Lewis was a finalist for the Tino Martinez DII Player of the Year award in 2011 as the closer for the Braves.  A senior from Seven Springs, N.C., he was named an All-American by the ABCA and Daktronics and a first-team All-Conference selection.  He was 7-1 with a 0.38 ERA and was second in the PBC with nine saves.  The 2011 PBC Tournament Most Valuable Player, Lewis made 26 appearances and held opponents to a .146 batting average and recorded 51 strikeouts in his 47 innings of work.
Aranas was named to the 2011 preseason All-Conference team but never got a chance to play, missing the entire season with an injury.  A 2010 first-team All-Conference selection at designated hitter, he was also named a first-team All-American by Daktronics.  In 2010 the senior from Lexington, S.C., was ranked in the PBC’s top 15 in six categories including a .415 batting average, nine home runs and 53 RBIs.

Sosnoskie was a co-PBC Player of the Year in 2011.  The senior outfielder from Statesville, N.C., was third in the PBC with a .396 batting average and fifth with 45 runs driven in.  He was also sixth in the Peach Belt with a .474 on-base percentage and eighth with his .559 slugging percentage.  Sosnoskie started in all 57 games, leading the PBC with nine sacrifice flies and the team in stolen bases.

2012 NCBWA DIVISION II PRESEASON ALL-AMERICA TEAMS

FIRST TEAM
Starting Pitcher: Don Sandifer, jr., Francis Marion
Starting Pitcher: Ryan Thompson, sr., Franklin Pierce
Starting Pitcher: Corey Witkowski, sr., Barry
Starting Pitcher: Chris Zbin, sr., Southern Connecticut State
Relief Pitcher: Braxton Lewis, sr., UNC Pembroke
Catcher: Ryan McChesney, sr., Florida Tech
First Baseman: Nathan Minnich, sr., Shepherd
Second Baseman: Josh Dawson, sr., Cameron
Third Baseman: Bryan Lippincott, sr., Concordia (Minn.)
Shortstop: K.C. Clabough, sr., Florida Tech
Outfielder: Steve Anderson, sr. Grand Valley State
Outfielder: Mike Bisenius, sr., Wayne State (Neb.)
Outfielder: Dodson McPherson, sr., Wingate
Utility Player: Nick Aranas, sr., USC Aiken

SECOND TEAM
Starting Pitcher: Gabriel Asakura, sr., Cal State Los Angeles
Starting Pitcher: Garrett Cole, sr., UMass Lowell
Starting Pitcher: Kirk Jewasko, sr., Incarnate Word
Starting Pitcher: Kyle Schepel, sr., Grand Valley State
Relief Pitcher: Josh Pond, sr., Cal State San Bernardino
Catcher: Brad Shankle, sr., Southeastern Oklahoma
First Baseman: Adam Shank, sr., St. Edward’s
Second Baseman: (Tie) Zac Blair, R-jr., Mercyhurst
Second Baseman: Matt Kuchenbecker, sr., Minnesota State
Third Baseman: Shane Houck, sr., Kutztown
Shortstop: Mike August, sr., Millersville.
Outfielder: Alexi Colon, sr., Tusculum
Outfielder: Buddy Sosnoskie, sr., Francis Marion
Outfielder: Danny Susdorf, jr., UC San Diego
Utility Player: Michael White, sr., Stonehill

HONORABLE MENTION
Starting Pitcher: Eric Aschley, sr., Mercyhurst; Brandon Faulkner, sr., Emporia State; Zack Gronek, sr., Missouri S&T; Scott Lieser, jr., St. Cloud State; Kirk Lind, sr., Western Oregon; Mike McMonagle, sr., Millersville; Kodey Simon, sr., Winona State; Nolan Snell, jr., Colorado Mesa. Relief Pitcher: Ryan Oglesby, so., Slippery Rock; Brad Zambron, jr., Grand Valley State. Catcher: Josh Caffrey, sr., Missouri S&T; Mike Godwin, sr., Wilmington (Dela.); John Roberts, sr., Armstrong; Jenzen Torres, sr., Cal Poly Pomona. First Baseman: Tyson Littlewood, sr., Dixie State; Ryan Porter, sr., Regis; Brian Yeung, R-jr., Wingate. Second Baseman: Eric Deese, sr., Alabama-Huntsville; Austin Dubberly, jr., Montevallo; Dan Hennigan, sr., Franklin Pierce. Third Baseman: Kendall Boone, sr., West Texas A&M; Chris Dula, so., Catawba. Shortstop: Michael Bueker, sr., Mars Hill; Cam Kneeland, sr., UMass Lowell; Brett Schwartz, sr., Central Missouri. Outfielder: Madison Beaird, jr., Arkansas Tech; Jared DeCastro, jr., Cal State Monterey Bay; Blake Gentry, sr., Southeastern Oklahoma; Troy Handza, sr., California (Pa.); Andrew Jones, sr., Tampa; Josh Logan, sr., Seton Hill; Elisha McDaniel, so., Benedict; Jeff Popick, sr., Colorado Mesa. Utility Player: Blake Amaral, sr., Hawaii Pacific; Damon Elder, sr., Tampa; Kyle Petty, jr., California (Pa.); Joe Vaskas, sr., Emporia State.

SOUTHEAST REGION

First Team
Starting Pitcher: Don Sandifer, jr., Francis Marion
Starting Pitcher: Nick Lomascolo, jr., Catawba
Starting Pitcher: Cameron Ward, jr., Limestone
Relief Pitcher: Braxton Lewis, sr., UNC Pembroke
Catcher: John Roberts, sr., Armstrong Atlantic
First Baseman: Brian Yeung, R-jr., Wingate
Second Baseman: Austin Dubberly, jr., Montevallo
Third Baseman: Chris Dula, so., Catawba
Shortstop: Michael Bueker, sr., Mars Hill
Outfielder: Dodson McPherson, sr., Wingate
Outfielder: Buddy Sosnoskie, sr., Francis Marion
Outfielder: Alexi Colon, sr., Tusculum
Utility Player: Nick Aranas, sr., USC Aiken

Second Team
Starting Pitcher: Blake Hobby, sr., North Georgia
Starting Pitcher: Drew Provence, sr., North Greenville
Starting Pitcher: Craig Goodman, sr., Tusculum
Relief Pitcher: Cameron Culp, jr., Limestone
Catcher: Josh Miller, jr., USC Aiken
First Baseman: Heath Peterson, sr., Montevallo
Second Baseman: Derek Hooper, jr., North Georgia
Third Baseman: Michael Wilson, so., Francis Marion
Shortstop: Tanner Funk, sr., Georgia College
Outfielder: Josh Haley, sr., UNC Pembroke
Outfielder: Chris Ross, sr., Montevallo
Outfielder: Ryan Lewis, sr., Columbus State
Utility Player: Gelson Perez, sr., Lincoln Memorial

Third Team
Starting Pitcher: Scott Shipman, jr., Augusta State
Starting Pitcher: Scott Strickland, sr., Armstrong Atlantic
Starting Pitcher: Brad Isom, sr., UNC Pembroke
Relief Pitcher: Max Rusch, sr., Flagler
Catcher: Kyle Buchanan, sr., Belmont Abbey
First Baseman: Cody Coffman, sr., Tusculum
Second Baseman: Chris Vazquez, sr., Wingate
Third Baseman: Matt Henriksen, jr., Tusculum
Shortstop: Stephen Carmon, sr., USC Aiken
Outfielder: Marcus Duckworth, R- sr., North Greenville
Outfielder: Adam Taylor, jr., North Greenville
Outfielder: Caleb Saggus, sr., Augusta State
Utility Player: Eitan Maoz, sr., UNC Pembroke