June 4, 2008

Seven Conference USA players, including three pitchers and two shortstops, have been named to the Louisville Slugger/Collegiate Baseball Freshman All-American team, the newspaper announced on Wednesday. Houston produced two Freshmen All-Americans, while East Carolina, Marshall, Rice, Southern Miss and Tulane each had one.

East Carolina right-hander Seth Maness, the 2008 Conference USA Freshman of the Year, headlines the group. A first team Conference USA selection, Maness tied for the league lead in victories. He was 9-2 with a 3.57 ERA and 81 strikeouts with just 20 walks in 98.1 innings pitched. Maness is just the second freshmen in ECU history to win nine games.

Houston right-hander Chase Dempsay emerged as one of the top rookie relievers in the nation this season and earned a spot on the mid-season watch list for the NCBWA Stopper of the Year award. He set a UH freshman record with 11 saves, becoming only the fourth player in UH history to record 10+ saves in a single season, joining Ryan Wagner (16 in 2003), Justin Vaclavik (12 in 2005) and Jesse Crain (10 in 2002). Dempsay also tied for the team lead in victories with eight, while posting a 2.53 ERA in 33 appearances.

Southern Miss righty Todd McInnis was a solid starter for the Golden Eagles all season long. McInnis was 6-3 and struck out 75 batters in 71.1 innings pitched. He earned a spot on the C-USA All-Freshman team and Southern Miss posted a 12-3 record this season in games that he started.

UH's Blake Kelso and Rice's Rick Hague are a pair of talented young shortstops in the city of Houston. Both players earned a place on the C-USA All-Freshman team after great debut seasons. Kelso batted .288 with 15 doubles, three triples and 35 RBI, while stealing 19 bases. Hague was third on the Owls in batting at .346, while hitting 18 doubles and driving in 48 runs (second on the team).

Tulane third baseman/right-hander Rob Segedin is emerging as the latest in a long line of two-way stars at Tulane. The C-USA All-Freshman team selection led the Green Wave in batting (.322) and doubles (18) while hitting six homers and driving in 59 runs. On the mound, Segedin had a win and five saves in 14 appearances, striking out 21 and walking only four in 19.1 innings pitched.

Marshall designated hitter Victor Gomez earned a spot on the C-USA All-Freshman team and was also a second team All-Conference selection. He batted .358 in his debut campaign with nine doubles, 11 homers and 47 RB, finishing second on the team in all three categories.