May 24, 2012
San Antonio – It’s tough for these St. Mary’s Rattlers to go unnoticed.
Another All-Region poll has been released, and once again a slew of Rattler baseball players are represented, with Carl O’Neal highlighting the American Baseball Coaches Association’s list as the Pitcher of the Year.
Rattlers outfielder Billy Richard (Jr., Schertz, Texas) joined O’Neal (Jr., San Antonio) on the First Team, while pitcher Rene Solis (So., San Antonio) made the Second Team, which was voted on by the region’s coaches.
First baseman Tyler Migl (Sr., San Antonio) also earned a Gold Glove after committing just a single error all season.
For O’Neal, he has posted sensational numbers in his first year as the Rattlers’ leading ace, going 13-0 with a 2.27 ERA and 93 strikeouts. Solis has been just as strong, going 13-2 with 106 strikeouts and a 1.55 ERA.
Richard has led the Rattlers (48-9) from the plate, producing power-hitting numbers from the leadoff spot. His .369 average leads the team, as does his 62 runs scored, 16 doubles and nine home runs. As if that wasn’t enough, he had the walk-off hit that sent St. Mary’s to the South Central Regional championship, and his two-run home run in the eighth inning tied things up against Southern Arkansas in the second round of a regional win.
St. Mary’s will play Delta State at 4 p.m. (CDT) Sunday in the first round of the NCAA Division II College World Series in Cary, N.C.