June 18, 2008

ATHENS, Ohio – Ohio centerfielder Matt Stiffler was named to the 2008 ABCA/Rawlings All-Mideast Region Second-Team after leading the ‘Cats in runs, hits, triples, home runs and RBI this season.

The senior from Bellbrook, Ohio also tied the Ohio all-time mark for hits in a single season, with 91, and accumulated the longest hitting streak in team history, hitting a single or better in 26 straight games.

Stiffler was drafted in the 27th round (809th overall) of the Major League Baseball First-Year Player draft by the Cincinnati Reds.

Joining Stiffler on the second-team were four players from MAC Tournament runner-up Kent State, including pitcher of the Chris Carpenter. The lone MAC student-athlete to be named to the first-team was Bowling Green first baseman Ryan Shay, giving the league six total selections.

The Big Ten was represented by 13 players across the All-Mideast Region First and Second Teams while there were four representatives from the Big East, two from Conference-USA and one from the Horizon League.

The All-Mideast Region Teams are voted on by all the region’s head coaches and Ohio head coach Joe Carbone, as the chairman or the region, tallies the votes and creates the two teams.

Among the 26 players named to the Mideast Region First & Second Teams, five were named either their conference’s player or pitcher of the year. Recknagel and Putnam took home player and pitcher of the year honors in the Big Ten, respectively, while Greg Rohan and Chris Carpenter took home the same awards in the Mid-American Conference. Harrison was named co-Big East Player of the Year, the first time a Bearcat has achieved that honor.

Five of the players named to All-Mideast Region First-Team were also selected to ABCA/Rawlings All-American Teams. Chris Fetter and fellow Michigan Wolverine Zach Putnam were named to the second-team along with Indiana’s Josh Phegley. Named to the third-team were Michigan’s Nate Recknagel and Illinois’ Kyle Hudson.

Florida State junior catcher Buster Posey took home ABCA/Rawlings Player of the Year Honors.

The All-American teams are selected by a committee made up of each region’s chairman. Monmouth head coach Dean Ehehalt represented the East Region while also chairing the committee and was joined by Oregon head coach George Horton (West), Middle Tennessee State head coach Steve Peterson (South Central), Vanderbilt head coach Tim Corbin (South), UMass head coach Mike Stone (Northeast), Northern Iowa head coach Rick Heller (Midwest), Virginia head coach Brian O’Connor (Atlantic) and Carbone (Mideast) in Omaha, Neb., last week before the start of the 2008 NCAA Men’s College World Series.

2008 ABCA/Rawlings All-Mideast Region Teams

First Team:                                                        Second Team:

Pitcher – Chris Fetter/Michigan#                          Pitcher – Chris Carpenter/Kent State

Pitcher – Zach Putnam/Michigan#                        Pitcher – Kyle Smith/Kent State

Pitcher – Dan Osterbrock/Cincinnati**                  Pitcher – Matt Bashore/Indiana

Reliever – Josh Lindblom/Purdue                         Reliever – Drew O’Neil/Penn State

Catcher – Josh Phegley/Indiana#                         Catcher – Joe Blackburn/Penn State

First Base – Nate Recknagel/Michigan#                First Base – Greg Rohan/Kent State

Second Base – Josh Harrison/Cincinnati**            Second Base – Doug Sanders/Kent State

Third Base – Mike Spina/Cincinnati                       Third Base – Dan Black/Purdue

Shortstop – Ryan Shay/Bowling Green                 Shortstop – Justin Toole/Iowa

Outfield – Kyle Hudson/Illinois#                           Outfield – Matt Stiffler/Ohio

Outfield – Caleb Curry/Iowa                                Outfield – Zach Rodeghero/Valparaiso

Outfield – Nate Lape/Marshall                              Outfield – Cameron Satterwhite/Cincinnati

Designated Hitter – Daniel Webb/Illinois               Designated Hitter – Victor Gomez/Marshall

** Also selected to the 2007 ABCA/Rawlings All-Mideast Region Teams

# Named to ABCA/Rawlings All-American First, Second or Third Teams