Baseball

SALISBURY, Md. - The awards keep coming rolling in for the No. 7 Salisbury University baseball team as the American Baseball Coaches Association (ABCA) announced the official 2008 Division III All-American teams along with region coach of the year awards.

Senior third baseman Justin Armiger and junior pitcher Eric Willey, who were named co-recipients of the 2008 Capital Athletic Conference Player of the Year award, will also share a spot on the ABCA Division III All-American third team. SU coach Doug Fleetwood was named the ABCA South Region Coach of the Year.

Armiger, a two-time ABCA All-South region first team selection,  led the Sea Gulls in RBI (67) and home runs (12) in 2008. His RBI total was tops on the All-South region first team, fourth in the nation, while his home runs mark was second. He finished the season with a .358 batting average, second on the team in runs scored (57), fourth in hits (62), second in slugging percentage (.671), tied for first in doubles (16), first in total bases (116) and first for hit by pitch (11). The All-CAC first team third baseman was also solid in the field where he had a .953 fielding percentage.

Willey, an ABCA All-South region first team selection, emerged as the ace of the 2008 SU pitching rotation. The right-hander posted an 11-1 record, 2.65 ERA and struck out 86 batters in 102 innings pitched. His wins and strikeouts were second on the All-South region first team and third and 15, respectively, in the nation. The All-CAC first team selection led the team in wins, strikeouts, saves (three), appearances (19), games started (14), innings pitched and complete games (five). Out of his 86 strikeouts, 35 were when batters struck out looking. Willey was named to the D3baseball.com All-American second team last week.

Armiger and Willey were the only representatives, out of the three teams named, to hail from the CAC. Salisbury now has had 11 baseball All-Americans in the program's history. Last season, outfielder Andrew Jensen was named to the second team.

Fleetwood guided the Sea Gulls to one of their best seasons in program history. Salisbury won a school record 41 games, which included a 35-game winning streak. The streak was the best in the nation until the maroon and gold dropped a game to University of Mary Washington in the CAC tournament. The Gulls (41-4) went onto win their third straight conference title and earn the top-seed in the South Regional. SU was one game away from making it's third-ever College World Series appearance. Fleetwood was named CAC Coach of the Year for the seventh time in his eight seasons at the helm for the Gulls.