Four Golden Eagles Named to Freshman All-American Team
6/5/2002 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
Four Golden Eagles Named to Freshman All-American Team
HATTIESBURG, Miss.-- Southern Miss baseball players Cliff Russum, Brad Willcutt, Jarrett Hoffpauir and Matt Shepherd were selected to the 2002 ?Louisville Slugger?s? Freshman All-American Baseball Team, chosen by Collegiate Baseball newspaper.
Relief pitcher Cliff Russum, a Conference USA All-Freshman selection, and a native of Hattiesburg, posted four saves and a 1-2 record on the season. Russum ended the year with 31 strikeouts, 19 walks and an ERA of 2.39. He had 19 appearances and one combined shutout.
Brad Willcutt, who was a Conference USA All-Freshman selection, started 55 of 57 games at the catcher position for the Golden Eagles. With 219 at bats, he posted a batting average of .288 with nine home runs and 53 RBI?s. Willcutt finished the season with a .489 slugging percentage and an on- base percentage of .361. He is a native of Columbus, Miss.
Second baseman Jarrett Hoffpauir, who was also a Conference USA All-Freshman selection, hit .320 this year with 17 doubles and 32 RBI?s. He recorded an on-base percentage of .435 with two triples and a home run. He is a native of Vidalia, La.
Shortstop Matt Shepherd finished the year with a .315 batting average with 47 hits, 10 doubles and 26 RBI?s. Shepherd, who is a native of Hattiesburg, was selected as a Conference USA All-Freshman selection.
Pitcher Philip Humber of Rice, first baseman Vincent Sinisi of Rice, and first baseman Darryl Lawhorn of East Carolina were selected as the National Freshman Players of the Year. Lawhorn gives Conference USA three National Freshman of the Year in the last four years.
The Golden Eagles had four of the seven Conference USA players selected on the 2002 team. Seven C-USA players also were selected to the honorable-mention team.