Last week the American Baseball Coaches Association (ABCA) & Rawlings® announced the 2011 NCAA Division III All-West Region teams, with the University of Redlands baseball program gaining six selections in its 100th season of competition. Senior pitcher Derek Johnson (Canby, OR) and junior shortstop Chase Tucker (Poway, CA) highlighted the team's honors by earning First-Team accolades. In addition, junior second baseman Cameron Lowe (Olympia, WA) and senior right fielder Nate Carlson (Portland, OR) landed on the Second Team, while senior left fielder Brandon Owashi (San Diego, CA) and sophomore pitcher Kyle Hart (Burbank, CA) garnered Third-Team plaudits.
The heart and soul of the Maroon and Gray, Johnson finishes out his final Redlands campaign by collecting his second consecutive All-Region selection with his inaugural First-Team award. The veteran hurler racked up the second-most victories (13) in the country and ranked among the top five in the nation for strikeouts (107) and innings pitched (106.2). During the NCAA West Regional Championships, Johnson notched the Bulldogs' first postseason victory since the 1985 campaign after leading the squad to a 3-2 decision over Trinity University (TX). In doing so, the Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SCIAC) Player of the Year also picked up his 13th win of the season en route to setting a program record and being named to the NCAA West Regional All-Tournament team.
Tucker nabs his first career All-Region nod by leading the nation in triples (11) after enjoying a stellar year at the plate. As the team's primary No. 3 hitter, he sat first on the team in runs scored (53) and hits (64), while batting .381 with eight doubles, three home runs, and 35 RBI. The shortstop was also a force on the base-paths, swiping 11 bags on the year.
Lowe, who served as Tucker's up-the-middle counterpart, flourished in his first full-time starting role as the team's two-bagger. The third-year infielder recorded career-highs in nearly every offensive category, including games played (43), batting average (.351), doubles (11), home runs (1), and RBI (21). Lowe also flashed the leather by contributing to 23 double-plays throughout the season.
En route to securing his second straight All-Region selection, Carlson added a big pop to the heart of the Bulldog lineup. While leading the team in both home runs (6) and RBI (41), the slugging right fielder also lined 62 hits, 13 doubles and posted a .460 on-base average. The former Rawlings® Gold Glove winner also preformed admirably in the outfield, giving up just one error in 73 chances and tallied four assists.
In his final season at Redlands, Owashi collects his lone All-Region selection as one of the most consistent Bulldog players of the 2011 campaign. Starting 42 out of 43 total games, Owashi was the catalyst for UR's offense by hitting a solid .352 as the team's leadoff hitter. The swift-footed outfielder crossed the plate on 41 occasions while collecting 11 steals during the Maroon and Gray's SCIAC championship run.
Redlands' No. 2 starter, Hart notches his first career All-Region nod in only his second campaign. The sophomore slinger went 9-3 on the season, posting a 3.94 ERA in 88.1 innings of work. Hart held opposing swingers to a .240 batting average and fanned 80 batters.
Among the All-Region teams, the SCIAC gained 16 honorees, with Redlands leading the pack with six picks. Pomona-Pitzer Colleges collected three selections, while Cal Lutheran University and the University of La Verne gained two apiece.
For a complete list of the ABCA All-Region teams, please visit www.abca.org//pdf8/767100.pdf?DB_OEM_ID=18900.