June 6, 2012
Zagunis named Louisville Slugger Freshman All-American
The catcher is the first Tech player since Sean O'Brien to receive honor

TUCSON, Ariz. - The 2012 Louisville Slugger Freshmen All-American team, selected by Collegiate Baseball newspaper, features a wealth of baseball talent, which includes Virginia Tech’s first honoree since 2004 with the naming of catcher Mark Zagunis to the team that consists of 132 players.

Zagunis is just one of three position players named to the team from the ACC - joined by NC State third baseman Trea Turner and Virginia outfielder Derek Fisher - and is one of seven players overall selected from the conference.

He was one of five freshmen named to the 2012 team and becomes the first Tech freshman named a Louisville Slugger Freshmen All-American since 2004 when Sean O’Brien earned the honor.

Zagunis led the team in batting (.344), on-base percentage (.430) and stolen bases (17), while he was second in hits (65) and doubles (13), and third in slugging percentage (.513), total bases (97), walks (21) and tied for third in RBI (34), triples (2) and hit-by-pitch (9).

Among the conference players - at the end of the regular season - Zagunis was seventh in batting average and was the top freshman, third in stolen bases and 10th in on-base percentage. In ACC games only, he was 18th in batting average (.306), eighth in hits (37), second in stolen bases (12) and was the top freshman in total bases with 58.

The Cinnaminson, N.J. native also led the team in multi-hit games with 18, had the team’s longest hitting streak of the season at 13 games and, at one point, reached base in 36 straight games, the longest such streak since 2009.

Zagunis played several positions throughout the season, but made 30 of his 48 starts behind the plate, with 14 starts as a DH and four starts in the outfield. He was also used in a number of locations in the line-up, leading off 11 times and in the two-hole 12 times. He batted clean-up nine times and fifth on eight occasions.

For a complete listing of the 2012 Louisville Slugger’s Freshmen All-American Baseball Team, please see the release at the following link: http://www.baseballnews.com/allamericans/currentfrallamericans.htm.

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