May 25, 2010
OKLAHOMA CITY - Eight Baylor baseball student-athletes earned All-Big 12 Conference honors, the league office announced Tuesday. Brooks Pinckard was named to the first team as a utility player, while Logan Vick and Logan Verrett both garnered second-team honors.
Seniors Gregg Glime, Willie Kempf and Raynor Campbell, as well as sophomore Joey Hainsfurther and junior Shawn Tolleson earned honorable mentions.
Kansas State's Nick Martini and Missouri's Aaron Senne shared co-Player of the Year honors, while Texas' Cole Green was named Pitcher of the Year. Barrett Barnes of Texas Tech was named Freshman of the Year, Texas A&M's John Stilson was awarded Newcomer of the Year, and Texas' Augie Garrido took Coach of the Year honors.
The Bears' eight honorees were Baylor's most since the 2005 season and the third-highest total in the program's 14-year history in the Big 12 Conference. Baylor players have earned 88 all-conference honors, and Pinckard became the program's 29th first-team selection.
A native of Buda, Texas, Pinckard has excelled in his roles as both the Bears' everyday center fielder and closer. Pinckard ended the regular season hitting .323 with 11 doubles, three triples and two home runs. He's also collected 25 RBI and ranks third on the team with 38 runs scored. His 17 steals in 19 attempts are the most by a Baylor player since Chase Gerdes stole 17 bases during the 2007 season.
On the mound, Pinckard has converted 10 of 12 save opportunities. His 10 saves are the most ever by a Baylor sophomore, and his 1.53 ERA in Big 12 play ranks fourth on Baylor's all-time list for relief pitchers. Pinckard also picked up the win and had a two-out, two-run, walk-off single on Friday to clinch the Bears' spot in the Big 12 Championship.
Vick, a true freshman from Kerrville, Texas, finished the regular season with a .335 batting average, 15 doubles, eight home runs, 51 runs scored and 20 RBI. Vick leads the Big 12 with 50 walks - 12 more than any other players - and his on-base percentage of .543 ranks sixth in the league. He set the Baylor freshman record for walks in a season and is five away from tying the all-time record.
Verrett leads the team and ranks seventh in the Big 12 with 89 strikeouts in 81.2 innings pitched. The sophomore from Corpus Christi, Texas, enters the Big 12 Championship with a 5-3 record and a 2.98 ERA that ranks seventh in the conference. He's worked at least 7.0 innings in six consecutive starts, making him the first Baylor player to do so since Ryan LaMotta in 2006.
A senior from Katy, Texas, Campbell is hitting .335 with 12 doubles, six home runs and 37 RBI. Hainsfurther, a sophomore from Dallas, Texas, is hitting .354 with 12 doubles, three triples and 45 RBI.
Glime has turned in a career-best batting average of .263, knocked seven home runs and driven in 39 RBI. His six home runs in conference play are tied for eighth-most in the league. The senior captain from Aurora, Colo., has thrown out half of the 44 opponents who have attempted to steal a base with him behind the plate.
Tolleson, a junior from Fairview, Texas, ranks second on the team with 81 strikeouts in 69.2 innings pitched. He's made 13 starts this year after making just seven during the 2009 season. He also earned an honorable mention selection during the 2008 season.
Kempf, a senior captain from Castroville, Texas, was named all-conference for the first time in his four-year career. He ranks ninth in the Big 12 with a 3.53 ERA, and his 7-2 record is the best on the Baylor team. Kempf picked up the 20th win of his career with 5.1 innings of three-hit, shutout relief to help Baylor clinch a series win over Oklahoma State on Saturday.
Baylor begins play in the Big 12 Championship at Bricktown Ballpark at 4 p.m. Wednesday against Kansas State. The Bears take on Oklahoma at 7:30 p.m. Friday, and finish pool play with Kansas at 7 p.m. Saturday.
