Wilson, Avila Named to All-Tournament Team
6/1/2008 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
June 1, 2008
Conway, S.C. - Alabama freshman shortstop Ross Wilson and junior catcher/designated hitter Alex Avila were named to the All-Regional Team at the Conway Regional on Sunday night.
Wilson batted .500 (7 for 14) in three tournament games, with three home runs, five RBI and four runs scored. He posted a .533 on-base percentage and 1.143 slugging mark for the tournament. He tied an Alabama tournament record with two home runs in a 13-10 loss to Coastal Carolina on Saturday, May 31.
He wrapped up his freshman season, hitting .295 (76 for 258) with 15 home runs and 47 RBI in 62 games. He tied the UA freshman record with 15 home runs this season. Jeremy Brown also hit 15 home runs as a freshman in 1999.
Wilson was hitting a season-low .241 on April 16 following a 0 for 4 performance against Southern Miss. Over his last 25 games, Wilson hit .380 (38 for 100) with 12 home runs and 24 RBI to raise his season average 54 points during the final eight weeks. The Hoover, Ala., native was UA's leading hitter in the post season with a .414 (12 for 29) with three home runs, six RBI and nine runs scored.
Avila hit .417 (5 for 12) in the three games at the Conway Regional with one home run, one RBI and one run scored. He hit safely in all three games and had two hits against East Carolina on May 30 and Coastal Carolina on May 31.
For the season, Avila batted .343 (82 for 239) with 17 home runs and 59 RBI. The 17 home runs were a career high for the junior from Pembroke Pines, Fla. He hit .393 (11 for 28) in seven post-season games, with one home run, five RBI and six runs scored.
Alabama freshman shortstop Josh Rutledge became the first true freshman since David Magadan in 1981 to lead Alabama in hitting. In 62 games, Rutledge hit a team best .369 (99 for 268) with 11 extra base hits, 31 RBI and 62 runs scored. Magadan hit .389 as rookie in 1981. Rutledge also ended the season with 99 hits, which is the 10th best single season total in school history.
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