FRISCO, Texas – Sam Houston State junior designated hitter Anthony Azar and senior third baseman Kevin Miller along with Stephen F. Austin junior shortstop Hunter Dozier are among the 11 returning all-conference players who are on the 2013 preseason all-conference teams, the league office announced Wednesday.
A first-team all-conference designated hitter last season, Azar led Sam Houston State with a .354 batting averaging and a .497 slugging percentage, which both ranked fifth in the conference. Azar, who paced the conference’s most efficient offense, recorded 10 doubles, three triples and three home runs while knocking in 38 runs and scoring 24 times. Miller returns this season after earning first-team honors a season ago. Miller batted .315 while slugging .384 for the Sam Houston offense. The senior third baseman also recorded nine doubles, two home runs and nine RBI.
The final first-team member from a season ago returning to the Southland diamond is SFA’s Dozier. The Lumberjack shortstop led the conference in doubles (22) and total bases (135), ranked second in home runs (10) and slugging percentage (.595), fourth in batting average (.357) and hits (81) and sixth in runs scored (43).
Sam Houston State, the defending regular-season champion, leads all teams with three first-team selections and tied Oral Roberts and Stephen F. Austin with four overall preseason all-conference selections. Completing the first-team picks for Sam Houston is junior pitcher Caleb Smith. Smith earned second-team all-conference honors last season after finishing fifth in the league in opposing batting average (.219), fifth in strike outs (82) and 12th in earned run average (3.23). In 16 starts, Smith posted an 8-6 record with two complete games. Sophomore outfielder Colt Atwood was named second-team all-conference for the Bearkats.
Conference newcomer Oral Roberts placed four players on the preseason all-conference teams with sophomore catcher Jose Trevino and senior pitcher Drew Bowen earning first-team honors. Trevino led the Golden Eagles offensively last season in batting average (.317), RBI (57), home runs (13), runs scored (44), hits (78), doubles (18), triples (3) and total bases (141). Bowen is ORU’s top-returning pitcher after posting a 7-2 record last season with a 1.95 ERA. In 13 starts, Bowen went the distance four times and recorded two shutouts. In his only relief appearance of the year, Bowen was credited with the save. Picking up second-team honors for the Golden Eagles are sophomore outfielder Logan Domenico and junior pitcher Alex Gonzalez.
Dozier was the lone Lumberjack to earn first-team all-conference but teammates Max Lamantia, a sophomore first baseman, Freddy Villalobos, a senior second baseman, and Cameron Gann, a sophomore pitcher each earn a spot a the second team. Villalobos earned third-team all-conference last season hitting .296 with 12 doubles, three home runs and 26 RBI.
Central Arkansas and Southeastern Louisiana each had three players earn preseason all-conference honors, while Lamar and Northwestern State had two selections apiece. Nicholls State and Texas A&M-Corpus Christi had one each.
Other returning all-conference selections named to the first team along with Sam Houston’s Smith include Central Arkansas outfielders senior Forrestt Allday and junior Jonathan Davis, Northwestern State senior outfielder Will Watson and Nicholls junior second baseman Philip Lyons.
Allday earned second-team all-conference last season when he posted team highs in runs (49), triples (4), walks (57) and on-base percentage (.486). He also ranked second on the team in hits (61), total bases (80) and slugging percentage (.486).
Davis was a second-team selection last season after leading the Bears with a .333 batting average. In only 42 games, Davis recorded 51 hits, 11 doubles, two triples and 29 RBI. A threat on the base path, Davis stole 17 bases and scored 35 times.
Watson is one of Northwestern State’s top returners this season after earning a spot on the second team last year. Watson was the Demons most consistent hitter with a .335 batting average. He led the Demons with 23 steals and had 10 doubles, two triples and 20 RBI on the year.
Lyons, a second-team all-conference pick in 2012, led Nicholls in hits (71) and runs (40) last season while starting in all 54 games for the Colonels. Lyons is the Colonels top returning hitter with a .335 batting average. Lyons recorded five doubles, two triples and a home run last season. He was second on the team with 16 stolen bases and a .402 on-base percentage.
Returning players who earned first- and second-team all-conference honors following the 2012 season automatically receive preseason honors. Third-team postseason selections move into vacated positions on the first and second preseason teams. The remaining spots are voted on by the league’s head coaches.
2013 Preseason All-Southland Conference Baseball Teams
First Team
Pos.
Name
University
Class
Hometown
1B
Brad Picha
Lamar
Sr.
Stephenville, Texas
2B
Phillip Lyons*
Nicholls State
Jr.
Thibodaux, La.
3B
Kevin Miller*
Sam Houston State
Sr.
Pearland, Texas
SS
Hunter Dozier*
Stephen F. Austin
Jr.
Denton, Texas
C
Jose Trevino
Oral Roberts
So.
Corpus Christi, Texas
OF
Forrestt Allday*
Central Arkansas
Sr.
Friendswood, Texas
OF
Jonathan Davis*
Central Arkansas
Jr.
Camden, Ark.
OF
Will Watson*
Northwestern State
Sr.
Dallas, Texas
DH
Anthony Azar*
Sam Houston State
Jr.
The Woodlands, Texas
P
Caleb Smith*
Sam Houston State
Jr.
Huntsville, Texas
P
Dylan Hills
Southeastern La.
Jr.
Ponchatoula, La.
P
Drew Bowen
Oral Roberts
Sr.
Tulsa, Okla.
Second Team
Pos.
Name
University
Class
Hometown
1B
Max Lamantia
Stephen F. Austin
So.
Flower Mound, Texas
2B
Freddy Villalobos*
Stephen F. Austin
Sr.
Houston, Texas
3B
Darian Johnson*
Lamar
Sr.
Chandler, Ariz.
SS
Ben Hernandez
Southeastern La.
Sr.
Zachary, La.
C
Nick Purdy
Northwestern State
Sr.
Pascagoula, Miss.
OF
Ethan Harris
Central Arkansas
Sr.
White Hall, Ark.
OF
Colt Atwood
Sam Houston State
So.
Katy, Texas
OF
Logan Domenico
Oral Roberts
So.
Scottsdale, Ariz.
DH
Jonathan Gonzales*
A&M-Corpus Christi
Sr.
Buda, Texas
P
Jordan Hymel
Southeastern La.
Sr.
Lutcher, La.
P
Alex Gonzalez
Oral Roberts
Jr.
Delray Beach, Fla.
P
Cameron Gann
Stephen F. Austin
So.
Crandall, Texas
