Josh Rutledge Named Honorable Mention All-American
2/17/2009 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
Feb. 17, 2009
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. - University of Alabama sophomore shortstop Josh Rutledge was named to the College Baseball Insider preseason Honorable Mention All-American team, the baseball publication announced today.
Rutledge started 61 games for the Tide as a true freshman in 2008 and batted .369 (99-for-268) with 31 RBI and 16 stolen bases. He also led the team with 31 multi-hit games last year. Rutledge set the UA single-season record with a 23-game SEC hitting streak. Overall, he hit safely in 28 consecutive games, the third-longest streak in school history.
A 2008 Freshman All-American and All-SEC selection, Rutledge has already earned several preseason accolades in 2009. He was a second-team selection to the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association preseason All-American Team as well as a first-team preseason All-SEC selection by SEBaseball.com.
Alabama opens the season Friday, Feb. 20 at Sewell-Thomas Stadium against the Southeast Missouri State Redhawks. The first pitch for the 117th season of Crimson Tide baseball is set for 6:35 p.m. (CDT).
BASEBALL MEDIA DAY: The Alabama baseball team held its weekly media day on Tuesday at Sewell-Thomas Stadium. Here are some of the comments from head coach Jim Wells, junior Brandon May and sophomore Ross Wilson.
Jim Wells: (On Rutledge and Wilson): "I think they can be real good. They are better than they were last year defensively. Offensively they were real good. Wilson will hit for a higher average. Rutledge will probably hit a few more home runs, so they've gotten better, but they're good up the middle and to win, you need to have that. Plus, they're middle of the lineup type hitters. There are not too many guys who can do that."
Brandon May:
"I'm a junior now, and this is definitely the best team I've been on since I've been here. Team chemistry-wise, we're better than ever. We should be able to hit for big power and if our pitching comes around, we've got a shot to be really good."
"At the end of the year last year, we really started to turn it on. Even though we lost Avila to the draft last year, we've brought in some other guys. Clay Jones has done really well. Vin DiFazio is healthy and he's really improved. Kyle Moore has done a tremendous job improving his hitting."
Ross Wilson: (on being named preseason All-American): "It's nice to get recognized, but it really doesn't matter unless you do it at the end of the year. Preseason stuff doesn't really matter. We just want to get back to Omaha and we feel like we have a team that can do that."
