Martinec top freshman; four other Panthers earn all-conference honors
April 29, 2009

The Great South Athletic Conference announced its baseball awards Friday in ceremonies at the conference's tournament at Huntingdon College's Posey Field in Montgomery, Ala. LaGrange College took an individual award and placed a total of four players on the all-conference team. The Panthers also had four earn all-academic honors.

Jordan Martinec (LaGrange, Ga.) was selected as the GSAC Freshman of the Year. Martinec was fourth on the team and fifth in the GSAC with a .378 batting average. He hit three home runs and had 34 RBIs. Martinec led the team and was second in the GSAC in on-base percentage. He also led the team with 28 walks and tied for second in games played with 40.

Junior Eric Heath (Kennesaw, Ga.), senior Ben Hudson (Hamilton, Ga.), senior Korey Ison (Brooks, Ga.) and senior Trey Walker (Bremen, Ga.) were selected to the all-conference team.

Heath led the team with a .397 batting average. He had two home runs and 39 RBIs, which was third on the team. Heath led the team with 69 hits, 16 doubles, 201 plate appearances and 174 at-bats. He led the team's outfielders with six assists, was second with 45 runs scored and tied for second in games played with 40.

Hudson was selected as the designated hitter on the all-conference team. He is the first player in LaGrange College's baseball history to be an everyday dual player as a hitter and a starting pitcher.  As a hitter, he is second on the team and third in the GSAC with a .387 batting average. He is second on the team and tied for second in the GSAC with 42 RBIs. Hudson is tied for second on the team with five home runs and ranks in the top five in a total of 19 team offensive categories and six GSAC offensive categories. As a pitcher, Hudson is 6-3 with a 5.07 earned run average and a save.

Ison is fifth on the team with a .366 batting average. He led the team and the GSAC with 48 RBIs. He tied for second on the team with five home runs. He is in the top five in a total of 22 team offensive and fielding categories. In the GSAC, he is in the top five in a total of nine offensive and fielding categories.

Walker is third on the team and fourth in the GSAC with a .382 batting average. He had a home run and 23 RBIs this season. He tied for first on the team and fourth in the GSAC with 15 stolen bases. Walker is in the top five in 14 team and nine GSAC offensive categories.

Heath, sophomore Derek Duran (Chickamauga, Ga.), sophomore Curt Ellison (Alpharetta, Ga.) and sophomore Dale Feldman (Watkinsville, Ga.) earned GSAC all-academic honors. To receive all-academic honors, a student-athlete must have a 3.25 GPA or better and must be a sophomore academically or higher. This is Underwood's second year on the all-academic team.