Sports News: Spring 2011

Friday, May 27, 2011

MORAVIAN’S BRENDAN CLOSE HONORED ON AMERICAN BASEBALL COACHES ASSOCIATION/RAWLINGS
DIVISION III ALL-AMERICA FIRST TEAM

MT. PLEASANT, MI --- Junior pitcher Brendan Close (Bethlehem, PA/Freedom HS) of the Moravian College baseball team was named to the 2011 American Baseball Coaches Association/Rawlings Division III All-America First Team announced late Thursday at the championship banquet in Appleton, Wisconsin before the 2011 NCAA Division III World Series begins today.

Close becomes the first Moravian player to earn AMCA/Rawlings All-America First Team honors in since the ABCA started the Division III team in 1974.  The ABCA began selecting College All-American Teams in 1950.  Close, who earned on a spot on the D3baseball.com All-America First Team earlier this week, was also named the 2011 Landmark Conference Pitcher of the Year and to the All-Conference First Team.  Close garnered a spot on the Rawlings/American Baseball Coaches Association Division III All-Mid-Atlantic Region First Team.

Close had a 10-0 record, a 1.00 ERA, four shutouts, 100 strikeouts and just five walks allowed in 80.2 innings, setting school record for wins, shutouts, strikeouts and innings pitched.  Close, who was on the 2009 Landmark All-Conference First Team and the Second Team last season,  has also set the school records with 22 career wins (22-3 overall), seven shutouts and 232 career strikeouts, and he is second in innings pitched at 202.1 in three seasons while walking just 27 batters.

Moravian posted a school record 31 wins this season, going 31-9 overall, the first 30-win season in school history.  The Greyhounds were also 17-1 in the Landmark Conference regular season and earned the top seed and hosted the 2011 Landmark Conference Championship Tournament for the second straight year.

To view the full ABCA/Rawlings Division III All-America Teams, click here.