June 17, 2003
2003 Baseball America Freshman All-America Team
TEMPE, Ariz. (www.TheSunDevils.com) -- Arizona State baseball players Travis Buck and Erik Averill have been named Second-Team Freshman All-Americans by Baseball America.
Buck and Averill, who shared the ASU Baseball Freshman Newcomer of the Year Award, were immediate impact players for the nationally ranked Sun Devils (54-14) as they advanced to the NCAA Super Regionals. ASU has now had a player represented on the Baseball America Freshman All-America team in each of the past two years, as shortstop Dustin Pedroia was also a second-team selection in 2002.
Buck, a freshman outfielder from Richland, Wash., hit .326 during his rookie season, going 78-for-239 with 13 doubles, three triples, four home runs and 46 RBI. He etched his named in the ASU freshman record books in several categories, ranking third in hits (78), fifth in doubles (13), fourth in stolen bases (12), second in runs scored (59) and eighth in batting average (.326). Buck also became the first freshman in ASU and Pac-10 history to hit for the cycle when he went 5-for-5 against Southern Utah (3/7). He was an All-Pac-10 honorable mention selection and is one of three Devils who have been invited to the USA Baseball National Team Trials this summer.
Averill (Orange, Calif.) finished his freshman season with an 8-2 record and a 3.66 ERA. The left-hander struck out 61 and walked only 19 in 86.0 innings. Winning his first seven decisions, Averill started his ASU career with a memorable outing vs. Hawaii-Hilo (1/18), throwing seven and two-thirds no-hit innings. He also recorded a season high eight strikeouts in his super regional start against third-ranked Cal State Fullerton.