The Southern Conference Sports Media Association (SCSMA) announced the organization’s annual baseball awards.

 

Western Carolina second baseman Kenny Smith was named the Southern Conference Player of the Year and College of Charleston’s Nick Chigges was honored as the league’s Pitcher of the Year in a vote of the conference’s sports media. The Citadel’s Richard Jones earned Freshman of the Year recognition.

 

Smith led the conference in batting with a .412 average. He also belted 18 home runs, second most in the league, and led the conference with 79 RBIs. Chigges posted an 11-0 record this season with a 2.63 earned run average during the regular season. Jones batted .331 with 12 home runs and 55 RBIs for the Bulldogs. Western Carolina coach Todd Raleigh, who led the Catamounts to a share of the Southern Conference regular-season title, was tabbed the league’s Coach of the Year. Western Carolina finished the regular season with a 40-16 mark and a 20-7 record in conference play.

 

Western Carolina had seven players chosen to either the first-team or second-team all-conference team followed by the College of Charleston with six. The Citadel, Davidson, Elon and Wofford had two players each recognized while Georgia Southern and UNC Greensboro had one player each honored.

 

Southern Conference Sports Media Association All-Southern Conference Team

Player of the Year ? Kenny Smith (Western Carolina)

Pitcher of the Year ? Nick Chigges (College of Charleston)

Freshman of the Year ? Richard Jones (The Citadel)

Coach of the Year ? Todd Raleigh (Western Carolina)

 

First Team

C- Blake Murphy (Western Carolina)

1B- Zach Brown (The Citadel)

2B- Kenny Smith (Western Carolina)

SS- Oliver Marmol (College of Charleston)

3B- Brandon Waring (Wofford)

OF- Jonathan Greene (Western Carolina)

OF- Michael Harrington (College of Charleston)

OF- David Rubinstein (Appalachian State)

DH- Richard Jones (The Citadel)

SP- Nick Chigges (College of Charleston)

SP- Drew Saberhagen (Western Carolina)

RP- Greg Holland (Western Carolina)

 

Second Team

C- Alex Garabedian (College of Charleston)

1B- John Ingram (Western Carolina)

2B- Chris Campbell (College of Charleston)

SS- Mike Gilmartin (Wofford)

3B- Ben Lasater (College of Charleston)

OF- Steven Strausbaugh (Western Carolina)

OF- Mike Economos (Georgia Southern)

OF- Patrick Irvine (Elon)

DH- Rob Wilson (Davidson)

SP- Steven Hensley (Elon)

SP- Ryan Falcon (UNC Greensboro)

RP- Matt Webb (Davidson)