JUNE 6, 2007 - FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 

Three Pioneers Receive Post-JUCO Honors

Brooks Robinson	Allen Caldwell	Keon Graves

SPARTANBURG, SC – Three members of the SMC Pioneers baseball team received post-tournament honors following the recent 2007 National Junior College Athletic Association World Series.

Two members of the SMC team were named to the JUCO All-Tournament Team. One was recognized with a special award by JUCO.

“To have three of our players recognized for their performance at JUCO really says something about them and our program as a whole,” says SMC head baseball coach Tim Wallace.

Player Brooks Robinson, a Sophomore from Evans, GA and graduate of Greenbriar High School, was named an All-Tournament Team infielder.

At the end of the Series, Robinson was ranked 10th in individual batting, with a .480 average. He was ranked 9th in total bases for the Series, with 17. He shared a four-way tie for assists, ranked third with 13, and was ranked second for fielding double plays, with four.

In his 25 at-bats, Robinson had 12 hits, six RBIs and one homerun.

Allen Caldwell, a Freshman from Sumter, SC and graduate of Sumter High School, was named an All-Tournament Team outfielder.

Caldwell led the Series with a first-place 10 RBIs. He and fellow teammate Phillip Morgan shared a three-way-tie for Series homeruns with three apiece. Caldwell also was ranked second for the Series in total bases, with 22.

He shared a three-way-tie at third for number of at-bats, with 28. In his 28 at-bats, Caldwell had 10 hits, 10 RBIs and three homeruns.

Keon Graves, a Sophomore from Dillon, SC and graduate of Dillon High School, was named the Jay Tolman Best Defensive Player for the Series.

The recipient of this award is selected by radio broadcasters at JUCO. The trophy is provided by the Kiwanis of Grand Junction, CO.

Graves scored eight runs in five Series games for the Pioneers. In his 20 at-bats, he had seven hits and one RBI.

The All-Tournament Team is based on ballots cast by tournament directors, NJCAA baseball committee members, media representatives, the official scorer and major league scouts in attendance.

“Brooks, Allen, and Keon are each very strong, talented players who have very promising careers ahead of them,” says Wallace.

Caldwell has already given Clemson University a verbal commitment and plans to enroll in the school in the 2008 – 2009 academic year.

SMC finished third in the 2007 Series, having been eliminated from the tournament by a 27-12 loss to the Chipola College Indians. The previous night, SMC outscored Chipola 10-6, handing the Indians their only defeat of the Series.

Chipola went on to win the Series, defeating New Mexico Junior College.

The Series ended with the Pioneers ranked third in batting, out of a field of 10 teams, with a .380 average.

The Pioneers closed out the season at 54-15, an all team record for single-season wins.

“It has been a very special year for Pioneers baseball. The entire team has played their hearts out. They put forth tremendous effort, brought in some very impressive stats, and broke a lot of records. Through it all, they have represented Spartanburg Methodist College like true gentlemen and have shown profound sportsmanship,” says SMC athletic director Mark Perdue.

“Brooks, Allen, and Keon have been a very key part of that success,” adds Perdue.

For more information, please contact coach Tim Wallace at (864) 587-4267 or athletic director Mark Perdue at (864) 587-4237.

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On the net:
NJCAA Division I World Series home page: http://www.jucogj.org/