Tulane Trio Earns ABCA All-South Honors

NEW ORLEANS, La. - Junior southpaw Nick Bourgeois was named first-team American Baseball Coaches Association All-South Region, while senior infielder James Jurries and sophomore closer Joey Charron garnered second-team honors, the ABCA announced Thursday at the College World Series.

Bourgeois, Charron and Jurries were three of four players from a Louisiana school on the ABCA All-South Regional Team as LSU hurler Lane Mestepay also grabbed first-team honors, and three of seven Conference USA student-athletes to claim regional recognition as pitcher Shea Douglas and outfielder Jeff Cook of Southern Miss, Louisville outfielder Mark Jurich and Cincinnati catcher Chris Hamblem all were members of the ABCA All-South's second-team.

Bourgeois, a first-team All-CUSA selection and fourth-round draft choice of the Philadelphia Phillies, claimed first-team all-region honors after leading Tulane with a 10-3 record, a 3.27 ERA, 115.2 innings pitched, 114 strikeouts and a .229 opponent batting average. He tallied seven or more strikeouts on nine occasions, including a career-best 15 strikeout showing at Memphis (April 5). Bourgeois did not allow an earned run in three of his 16 appearances, and had a 20.2 inning stretch where he did not allow a sing run to score.

Charron, a second-team all-conference selection, was named to the ABCA All-South Region second-team after leading the Green Wave and Conference USA with nine saves. Despite battling mononucleosis for more than a month during the season, Charron finished second on the team with a 3.38 ERA and a .263 opponent batting average.

Jurries, meanwhile, continues to collect postseason honors as he has already been the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association District VII Co-Player of the Year, NCBWA first-team All-America, second-team TPX/Louisville Slugger All-America, third-team Verizon Academic All-America recognition and Conference USA Player of the Year.

A sixth-round draft choice by the Atlanta Braves, Jurries became the first player to hit .400 since 1985 while also setting a new standard by hitting 20 home runs and stealing 30 bases. He also led the team with 77 runs scored, 96 hits, four triples, 74 RBI, 180 total bases, a .750 slugging percentage, a .493 on-base percentage and 43 walks while tallying 16 doubles.

The ABCA All-South Region Team is voted on by 34 Division I head coaches. The All-America team, which is slated to released later tonight, is the opinion of 281 NCAA Division I head coaches.