Five Red Raiders Earn NCBWA North Atlantic Region Honors, Wright Pitcher of the Year

May 23, 2007

SHIPPENSBURG, Pa. - The honors continued for Shippensburg baseball sophomore Matt Wright (McClure/Mid-West) on Wednesday as he received his second Pitcher of the Year honor, earning North Atlantic Region Pitcher of the Year from the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association (NCBWA).

Wright, who was named PSAC Western Division Pitcher of the Year as well, also received his third all-region selection as he was a consensus first team selection by the NCBWA, American Baseball Coaches Association (ABCA) and Daktronics, Inc.

Wright was one of five Red Raiders honored by the NCBWA, joining junior Justin Garber (Elizabethtown/Elizabethtown) who was chosen to the Second Team and senior Eric Perlozzo (Cumberland, Md./Bishop Walsh), sophomore Tyler Redick (Fairfield/Walkersville (Md.)) and senior Ross Buckwalter (Ephrata/Ephrata), all three of whom were named Honorable Mention.

In two seasons with the Red Raiders, Wright has earned five all-region first team selections and has been a two-time All-PSAC Western Division selection while also earning Western Division Rookie of the Year honors in 2006 to go along with his first team all-region selections by both the ABCA and NCBWA.

Wright led the PSAC in strikeouts with 99 which was the third-highest single-season total in school history, trailing only Evan Englebrook '04 (113) and Randy Dicken '04 (104) who set their marks in 2004. Wright also had a 6-3 record with one save and a 2.08 ERA while making 11 starts, totaling 78.0 innings and six complete games.

For Garber, it was his third all-region selection after he also received first team accolades by the ABCA and Daktronics, Inc. He finished the season with a team-best .358 batting average while leading the team with 41 RBIs, 39 runs, 24 stolen bases and five triples. His five triples were the most in the PSAC this season and his 24 steals were second.

Garber has received four all-region honors in his career after earning a first team selection from the ABCA last year.

Perlozzo earns his first career all-region selection after being named to the All-PSAC Western Division Second Team in 2005 and 2007. After missing all but five games in 2006, he finished his final collegiate season hitting .295 with eight doubles, 14 steals and 30 runs scored. Defensively, Perlozzo committed just two errors in 188 chances a second base for a .989 fielding percentage.

Redick was one of only two Red Raiders to start all 52 of the team’s games. He led the team with 67 hits and was second on the team behind Garber with a .351 batting average. He also tied Perlozzo for the team lead with eight doubles while adding three triples, three home runs and 24 RBIs. Redick also led the team in runs scored with 42.

Like Perlozzo and Redick, Buckwalter also earned his first career all-region selection after also earning his first career all-conference honor in being named to the All-PSAC Western Division Second Team. Buckwalter led the PSAC in both innings pitched and games started, finishing the season with 85.1 and 12, respectively.

Buckwalter also totaled a 5-3 record with a 2.85 ERA, five complete games and 60 strikeouts.

Under first-year head coach Matt Jones, Shippensburg went 28-24 overall en route to winning its first PSAC championship since 2003. The Red Raiders also made their first NCAA North Atlantic Region Championship appearance since 2004.

- Red Raider Baseball -