Wright, Garber, Buckwalter Named Daktronics All-North Atlantic Region

May 16, 2007

SHIPPENSBURG, Pa. - Shippensburg baseball sophomore Matt Wright (McClure/Mid-West), junior Justin Garber (Elizabethtown/Elizabethtown) and senior Ross Buckwalter (Ephrata/Ephrata) were named to the first-ever Daktronics, Inc., All-North Atlantic Region team that was announced Wednesday.

Wright and Garber, who were both named All-PSAC Western Division First Team, were named to the first team, while Buckwalter, an All-PSAC West Second Team selection, was voted to the second team.

Wright, already named PSAC West Pitcher of the Year in 2007 and a first team all-region performer as a freshman, led the PSAC and ranked ninth in Division II with 11.7 strikeouts per nine innings. His 88 total strikeouts ranked first in the PSAC. He also ranked fourth in the conference in ERA with a 2.35 mark while posting a 5-3 record and one save.

It is also the second-straight season in which Garber has earned all-region honors. In 2007, he led the team and ranked 15th in the PSAC in batting average, hitting .360. He also led the team and ranked near the top of the PSAC in triples (4), RBIs (39) and stolen bases (24). In three seasons at Shippensburg, Garber boasts a career average of .378, which ranks fourth in school history.

Buckwalter’s first career all-region selection is well deserved. He led the PSAC in innings pitched (77.1) and while making 12 starts and tossing four complete games. He also posted a 2.91 ERA on the season.

The three Red Raiders, who each played a key role in Shippensburg’s run to the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference championship, continue their seasons on Thursday as one of six teams in the NCAA Division II North Atlantic Region Tournament. Shippensburg is scheduled to meet No. 3 Kutztown (the region host and No. 1 seed) at 12:30 p.m. on North Campus Field in Kutztown, Pa. Game action can be heard on WSYC 88.7 FM or on the Internet at raiders.ship.edu.

- Red Raider Baseball -