Three From Baseball Earn SoCon Postseason Awards
Southern Conference Announces Postseason Awards
GREENSBORO, N.C. – The UNC Greensboro (UNCG) baseball team saw sophomore Kennedy Jones and freshmen Luke Thomas and Julien Peissel recognized by the Southern Conference (SoCon) on All-Conference teams, announced by the organization on Tuesday.
Jones was voted to the SoCon All-Conference first team and the SoCon Sports Media Association (SCSMA) All-Conference first team. Thomas and Peissel were voted to the SoCon All-Freshman team.
Kennedy Jones
Sophomore | OF | Norfolk, VA
All-Conference First Team and Media All-Conference First Team
This season, Jones has had a career-high of 14 home runs. He is currently leading the team with a .359 batting average, 45 runs, 79 hits, 135 total bases, and 220 at-bats. Jones is also nationally ranked 59th in hits (79).
During preseason, he was named to the 2023 Golden Spikes Preseason Watch List and Preseason All-SoCon first team. Most recently, he was named to the College Sports Communicators (CSC) Academic All-District® team.
In the SoCon, Jones is ranked second in at bats, fourth in hits, fifth in total bases and total plate appearances, eighth in home runs, ninth in batting average, and 10th in slugging percentage.
Luke Thomas
Freshman | RHP | Climax, NC
All-Conference Freshman Team
Thomas has pitched 52.1 innings this season with an ERA of 5.68 in 20 games played and four starts on the mound. Against The Citadel on April 15, Thomas pitched a career-high of 6.2 innings. He had a career-best six strikeouts at VMI and totaled 47 strikeouts this season to lead the team.
Thomas has a team-high of two saves, three wins, and four losses on the mound. His two saves came in a 4-1 win over Elon and a 6-3 victory over Wofford. His first-collegiate win was a 7-6 win over Northeastern.
Julien Peissel
Freshman | RHP | Hickory, NC
All-Conference Freshman Team
With a total of 49.1 innings pitched and going 2-4 on the mound, Peissel has an ERA of 4.93 this season. He has appeared in 18 games on the mound with five starts. His first-collegiate start was versus NC A&T on March 14. Peissel has struck out a total of 27 batters
He struck out a career-best eight batters in a 3-2, 10-inning win over Wofford, where he allowed two runs and six hits. Peissel pitched a career-high 7.2 innings versus the Terriers in the regular season.
On Deck
UNCG heads to Greenville, South Carolina to play at Fluor Field to defend its Southern Conference (SoCon) Tournament title in the 2023 SoCon Tournament.
2023 Coaches All-Southern Conference Teams
Player of the Year – Ryan Galanie, Sr., 1B, Wofford
Pitcher of the Year – Jacob Cravey, Jr., RHP, Samford
Freshman of the Year – Lucas Steele, OF, Samford
Coach of the Year – Tony David, Samford
First team
SP – Nathanial Tate, Sr., ETSU
SP – Jacob Cravey, Jr., Samford
RP – Lucas Mahlstedt, So., Wofford
C – Cole Garrett, Jr., VMI
1B – Ryan Galanie, Sr., Wofford
2B – Jayden Davis, Fr., Samford
SS – Pascanel Ferreras, Jr., Western Carolina
3B – Justin Starke, R-Jr., VMI
OF – Treyson Hughes, So., Mercer
OF – Kennedy Jones, So., UNCG
OF – Cole Jenkins, Jr., VMI
DH – Eric Toth, Gr., Mercer
Second team
SP – Cameron Reeves, Sr., The Citadel
SP – Matthew Marchal, Sr., Wofford
RP – Ben Petschke, Jr., Samford
C – Cameron Gill, Sr., Wofford
1B – Cameron Sisneros, Jr., ETSU
2B – Ty Swaim, Jr., VMI
SS – Zac Morris, R-Jr., VMI
3B – Dixon Black, Jr., Wofford
OF – Nick Iannantone, Jr., ETSU
OF – Jozsef Rohrbacher, Sr., Mercer
OF – Trey Morgan, R-Jr., VMI
DH – John Anderson, Jr., Samford
All-Freshman Team
Will Holmes, The Citadel
Cody Miller, ETSU
Ty Dalley, Mercer
Julien Peissel, UNCG
Luke Thomas, UNCG
Jayden Davis, Samford
Lucas Steele, Samford
Grayson Fitzwater, VMI
Jimmy Koza, VMI
Ryan White, Western Carolina
Zac Cowan, Wofford
Branton Little, Wofford
Charlie Weber, Wofford
2023 SCSMA All-Southern Conference Teams
Player of the Year – Ryan Galanie, Sr., 1B, Wofford
Pitcher of the Year – Jacob Cravey, Jr., RHP, Samford
Freshman of the Year – Jayden Davis, 2B, Samford
Coach of the Year – Tony David, Samford
First team
SP – Nathanial Tate, Sr., ETSU
SP – Jacob Cravey, Jr., Samford
RP – Lucas Mahlstedt, So., Wofford
C – Cole Garrett, Jr., VMI
1B – Ryan Galanie, Sr., Wofford
2B – Jayden Davis, Fr., Samford
SS – Pascanel Ferreras, Jr., Western Carolina
3B – Justin Starke, R-Jr., VMI
OF – Treyson Hughes, So., Mercer
OF – Kennedy Jones, So., UNCG
OF – Cole Jenkins, Jr., VMI
DH – John Anderson, Jr., Samford
Second team
SP – Cameron Reeves, Sr., The Citadel
SP – Josh Farmer, Sr., Mercer
SP – Coulson Buchanan, So., Wofford
RP – Cade Carlson, Jr., ETSU
C – Cameron Gill, Sr., Wofford
1B – Cameron Sisneros, Jr., ETSU
2B – Ty Swaim, Jr., VMI
SS – Sawyer Reeves, So., The Citadel
3B – Dixon Black, Jr., Wofford
OF – Nick Iannantone, Jr., ETSU
OF – Jackson Cherry, So., Mercer
OF – Jozsef Rohrbacher, Sr., Mercer
DH – Eric Toth, Gr., Mercer
Courtesy of UNCG Athletics