WARRENSBURG, Mo. – Tarleton junior third baseman Chris Casazza was named to the 2010 Daktronics Inc. All-South Central Region First Team on Thursday. The announcement comes after Casazza was selected to the All-Lone Star Conference Second Team on May 2.
Casazza had a great offensive season for the Texans, hitting .379 in 51 games, while leading Tarleton with 16 home runs, 67 hits, 15 doubles, 59 runs batted in, 34 walks, 132 total bases and a .746 slugging percentage.
The Temecula, Calif., native led the conference with his 16 home runs and .746 slugging percentage. He ranked 20th in the nation in homers and 44th in slugging. Overall, Casazza ranked in the nation's top-100 players in six offensive categories which also included RBI (56th), total bases (61st), on-base percentage (71st) and walks (51st).
This is Casazza's first Daktronics All-Region honor, as he was one of 15 players on the first team and 32 players total among the first and second teams. Overall, 16 players from the LSC (eight first, eight second) were named to the Daktronics All-South Central teams. He is joined on the first team by fellow LSC players Heath Wyatt (Southeastern Oklahoma, relief pitcher), Michael Felton (Southwestern Oklahoma, second base), Adam DeLaGarza (West Texas A&M, shortstop), Chris Adamson (Angelo State, catcher), Aaron Oliver (Abilene Christian, outfield), Will Calhoun (ACU, designated hitter) and Clay Puckett (ASU, utility player).
Central Missouri's Chance Tuttle (OF) was named the South Central Region Player of the Year, while Nebraska-Omaha's Joe Holtmeyer was named the region's Pitcher of the Year.
Tuttle was the Mid-American Intercollegiate Athletics Association (MIAA) Player of the Year, leading the third-ranked Mules in batting average and runs scored. Holtmeyer leads the nation in strikeouts and was named the MIAA Pitcher of the Year.
UCM, the NCAA Division II South Central Regional No. 1 seed, led the way with three first-team selections.
The first and second teams were comprised of four starting pitchers*, three outfielders and one of every other field position, including a relief pitcher. All first-team selections are now eligible for All-America honors.
Player of the Year:
Chance Tuttle, OF, Central Missouri
Pitcher of the Year:
Joe Holtmeyer, Nebraska-Omaha
First Team
Starting Pitchers:
Ben Graham, Emporia State
Joe Holtmeyer, Nebraska-Omaha
Kirk Jewasko, Incarnate Word
Brooks Martin, Central Missouri
Relief Pitcher:
Heath Wyatt, Southeastern Oklahoma State
First Base:
Nick DeBiasse, Central Missouri
Second Base:
Michael Felton, Southwestern Oklahoma State
Third Base:
Chris Casazza, Tarleton State
Shortstop:
Adam DeLaGarza, West Texas A&M
Catcher:
Chris Adamson, Angelo State
Outfielders:
Tyler Lundy, Nebraska-Omaha
Aaron Oliver, Abilene Christian
Chance Tuttle, Central Missouri
Designated Hitter:
Will Calhoun, Abilene Christian
Utility Player:
Clay Puckett, Angelo State
Second Team
*Starting Pitchers:
Felix Cardenas, Texas of the Permian Basin
Jake Hosey, Emporia State
Alfonso Maldonado, St. Mary's
Jeff Rohrbach, St. Edward's
Zach Sneed, Abilene Christian
Relief Pitcher:
Brad Rutherford, Abilene Christian
*First Base:
Rob Mann, West Texas A&M
Dexter Moreno, St. Edward's
Second Base:
Andrew Hansen, Nebraska-Omaha
Third Base:
Nate Valdez, Cameron
Shortstop:
Jacob Taylor, Missouri Southern
Catcher:
David Albritton, Emporia State
Outfielders:
Isaac Garcia, Angelo State
Alex Lyons, Cameron
Clifton Thomas, Texas A&M-Kingsville
Designated Hitter:
Adam Shank, St. Edward's
Utility Player:
Travis Earles, Texas A&M-Kingsville
*Due to ties in voting, there were five second-team selections at starting pitcher, and two selections on the second-team at first base.
