Baseball: UL’s Trahan, Leger earn top All-Sun Belt honors

Tim Buckley, The Advertiser, May 19, 2015

 

UL shortstop Blake Trahan (4) throws to first base to turn a double play with South Alabama (6) and (9) out on the play during the sixth inning of an NCAA baseball game against South Alabama at M.L. "Tigue" Moore Field in Lafayette, La., Sunday, May 10, 2015. (Photo: Paul Kieu, The Advertiser)

 

 

TROY, Ala. – UL All-American shortstop Blake Trahan, a likely high-rounds selection in next month’s Major League Baseball Draft, was named Sun Belt Conference Player of the Year on Tuesday night.

Trahan made the All-Sun Belt first team along with Ragin’ Cajuns second baseman Stefan Trosclair, and UL starting pitcher Gunner Leger was named Sun Belt Freshman of the Year.

Trahan, a junior from Kinder High, is hitting .332 with a team-high 45 runs scored, team-high 15 steals, and team high-tying 14 doubles.

He was named an NCBWA All-American in 2014, when UL second baseman Jace Conrad – now playing in the Class A level of the Tampa Bay Rays organization – was named Sun Belt Player of the Year.

Trahan also was named Sun Belt 2015 Preseason Player of the Year.

Trosclair, from Sulpher High and a transfer to UL from LSU-Eunice, is hitting .343 with a team-high 40 RBIs and team-leading 13 home runs.

Leger, a true freshman from Barbe High, takes a 6-4 record and 2.90 ERA into UL’s opening Sun Belt tourney game against Texas State on Wednesday afternoon.

He was named to the All-Sun Belt second team along with three other Cajuns – closer Dylan Moore, outfielder Kyle Clement and designated hitter Tyler Girouard.

Moore, also a true freshman, has nine saves this season along with a 3-2 record and a 1.76 ERA. He’s from Hughes Springs High in Texas.

Clement, from Jeanerette and Catholic High in New Iberia, is hitting a team-high .345 and has eight homers.

Girouard, a Teurlings Catholic High product, is hitting .333 and has 14 doubles.

South Alabama’s Kevin Hill was named Sun Belt Pitcher of the Year and South Alabama’s Mark Calvi won Coach of the Year honors. South Alabama won the SBC regular-season title and is seeded No. 1 going into the eight-team tournament.

ALL-SUN BELT BASEBALL

FIRST TEAM

SP Taylor Thurber (Appalachian State, Sr.)

SP Evan Challenger (Ga. Southern, Soph.)

SP Kevin Hill (South Alabama, Sr.)

RP Ben Taylor (South Alabama, Sr.)

C Joey Roach (Georgia State, Jr.)

1B Matt Rose (Georgia State, Jr.)

2B Stefan Trosclair (UL, Jr.)

SS Blake Trahan (UL, Jr.)

3B Tanner Rockwell (UALR, Sr.)

OF Aaron Mizell (Ga. Southern, Sr.)

OF Ryan Blanton (Georgia State, Soph.)

OF Cole Billingsley (South Alabama, Soph.)

UT Zach George (Arkansas State, Sr.)

DH David Hall (Troy, Sr.)

PLAYER OF THE YEAR

Blake Trahan, Louisiana

PITCHER OF THE YEAR

Kevin Hill, South Alabama

FRESHMAN OF THE YEAR

Gunner Leger, Louisiana

COACH OF THE YEAR

Mark Calvi, South Alabama

SECOND TEAM

SP Gunner Leger (UL, Fr.)

SP Grant Bennett (Troy, Jr.)

SP Lucas Brown (Troy, Jr.)

RP Dylan Moore (UL, Fr.)

C Chase Griffin (Ga. Southern, Sr.)

1B Levi Scott (UTA, Sr.)

2B Dillon Dobson (App. State, Jr.)

SS Travis Sibley (UTA, Sr.)

3B Keelin Rasch (UL Monroe, Sr.)

OF Kyle Clement (UL, Jr.)

OF Granger Studdard (Texas State, Soph.)

OF Logan Hill (Troy, Jr.)

UT Anthony Herrera (ULM, Soph.)

DH Tyler Girouard (UL, Sr.)