HPU’s Cas Silber named a Louisville Slugger Freshman All-American

TUCSON, Ariz. – Freshman pitcher Cas Silber of the High Point University baseball team was named to the 2014 Louisville Slugger Freshman All-American Team on Wednesday by Collegiate Baseball Newspaper.

“We are very proud and excited that Cas has been named to the Louisville Slugger Freshman All-American Team,” head coach Craig Cozart said. “This a great testament to his talent, hard work and dedication. His development over the past year has been impressive and we anticipate much more success for Cas and our program in the future.”

Silber appeared in 22 games with four starts and finished his first collegiate season with a 5-0 record and a 1.53 ERA. The right-hander struck out 61 batters in 59 innings pitched and helpdopposing hitters to a .189 batting average. He allowed just 38 hits and 10 earned runs in his 59 innings of work.

Silber set a new HPU Div. I single-game record with 13 strikeouts in six-innings pitched at Longwood on May 10. The freshman allowed no runs and just three hits and two walks in the game. Silber overcame a 98-minute rain delay between the third and fourth innings and returned to strikeout seven batters in his final three innings of work, striking out the side in both the fifth and sixth innings.

In the Big South Tournament, Silber pitched his first career shutout to help lead the Panthers to a 9-0 win over top-seeded Liberty in the second round. The right-hander struck out 12 batters while pitching a career-high nine innings. Silber limited the Flames to just three hits in the win.

Silber is the fifth HPU player to earn Freshman All-American honors and the first since Joe Goodman and Ryne Rush both were named Freshmen All-Americans in 2012. Robby Kuzdale and Billy Alvino were also named Freshman All-Americans for the Panthers with Kuzdale earning the honor in 2007 and Alvino in 2006.

High Point enjoyed its best season in the Div. I era in 2014, finishing with a 33-22 overall record and an 18-9 mark in the Big South. The Panthers set new HPU Div. I single-season records for total wins and conference wins and advanced to the Big South Semifinals for the second time in three seasons.