Bowling Green State University Athletics
Shay, Smith Named To Mideast Region Baseball Team
June 17, 2009 | Baseball
Shay Earns Spot On Team For Second Time, Smith For The First Time
Bowling Green State University baseball players Ryan Shay and Brennan Smith both earned spots on the 2009 American Baseball Coaches Association/Rawlings NCAA Mideast Region team, region chair Joe Carbone, the head coach at Ohio, announced today. Both Falcon players earned spots on the second team.
Shay, who was a first team all-region pick last season, becomes only the third player in school history to earn region honors twice during their career. Kelly Hunt (2002-03) and Nolan Reimold (2004-05) were first team selections both seasons.
Shay, who was a first team All-Mid-American Conference selection each of the last two seasons, finished his senior season with a .387 batting average while driving in 52 runs and scoring 70 from his leadoff position in the batting order. Shay, a Garden City, Mich. native, led the squad with 33 extra-base hits that included 17 doubles and 13 home runs.
The Falcon shortstop led the team with a .480 on-base percentage in 2009 and was second on the squad with a .679 slugging percentage. Shay finished his career by hitting safely in 88 of his last 102 games (his junior and seniors seasons) while hitting .400 over the period with 123 runs scored and 88 RBI. He ended his career among the BGSU career leader in nine categories and his name is among the top 10 in eight different seasonal categories.
Smith, who was the Pitcher of the Year in the MAC this season, was 8-4 in 2009 with a 4.41 ERA. Smith, a Sandusky, Ohio native, started 15 games this season as a sophomore working 81.2 innings while striking out 80 batters. Opposition batters hit just .240 against the right-hander this season. Smith was 6-1 in league games with a 4.66 ERA.
Both players were members of the 2009 Falcon team that captured the MAC regular season and East Division titles for a second successive season. BG was 28-22 for the season and their 18-8 mark in MAC play was the best in the league earning the Falcons the #1 seed for the MAC Tournament. It was the ninth time in the last 12 seasons the BGSU baseball program has won 28 or more games.
2009 ABCA/Rawlings All-Mideast Region Teams
First Team
Pitcher - Eric Arnett/Indiana
Pitcher - Alex Wimmers/Ohio State
Pitcher - Chris Fetter/Michigan
Pitcher - Tom Buske/Minnesota
Reliever - Jake Hale/Ohio State
Catcher - Josh Phegley/Indiana
First Base - Tommy Nurre/Miami (OH)
Second Base - Derek McCallum/Minnesota
Third Base - Marc Krauss/Ohio
Shortstop - Jeremy Barnes/Notre Dame
Outfield - Jeremy Hazelbaker/Ball State
Outfield - Lance Durham/Cincinnati
Outfield - Gauntlett Eldemire/Ohio
Designated Hitter - Matt Skirving/Eastern Michigan
Second Team
Pitcher - Brennan Smith/Bowling Green
Pitcher - Mike Recchia/Eastern Illinois
Pitcher - Josh Mueller/Eastern Illinois
Reliever - Andrew Chafin/Kent State
Catcher - Dan Burkhart/Ohio State
First Base - Ben Thomas/Xavier
Second Base - Jordan Tokarz/Eastern Illinois
Third Base - Mike Spina/Cincinnati
Shortstop - Ryan Shay/Bowling Green
Outfield - Brandon Haveman/Purdue
Outfield - A.J. Pollack/Notre Dame
Outfield - Adam Eaton/Miami (OH)
Designated Hitter - Alex Dickerson/Indiana
