Troy University Athletics
Skinner Named Freshman of the Year, Three Named All-Sun Belt
5/20/2014 7:13:00 PM | Baseball
MOBILE, Ala. – Troy freshman Marc Skinner has been named Sun Belt Conference Freshman of the Year and three Trojans, including Skinner earned second team All-Sun Belt honors Tuesday night at the Sun Belt Conference Baseball Family Night in Mobile.
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Skinner is the third Troy player to win an individual league award in the last four years. Teammate Shane McCain earned Pitcher of the Year in 2013 and Tyler Ray won the award in 2011. In 2007, Josh Dew also won Pitcher of the Year.
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Second baseman Garrett Pitts, designated hitter David Hall along with Skinner were named second team All-Sun Belt.
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"It is a difficult thing for a pitcher, much less a first-year pitcher, to possess the talent, maturity and poise to come in and finish games. That is what Marc has done; his future is very bright," Troy head coach Bobby Pierce said.
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Skinner, a Phenix City native, put together a fabulous freshman season, appearing in 30 games - sixth most in Troy single-season history. He pitched 60 innings during the regular season striking out 64 batters while allowing just 10 earned runs. Skinner's 1.50 ERA led the conference while his five wins and five save were tops on the team.
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"We are very excited for Marc, David and Garrett. It says a lot of how hard they have worked to put themselves in a position to be among the best in the Sun Belt Conference," Pierce said.
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Hall was Troy's leading hitter, batting at a .337 clip with team-high nine home runs and 46 RBIs. The junior from Fort Pierce, Fla., started the season reaching base in his first 14 plate appearances and 16 of his first 18. Hall has hit two grand slams this season and launched a three-run home run in the 10th inning to lift the Trojans over UALR. He has turned in 22 multiple-hit games and 10 multi-RBI games this year.
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Pitts, a Fairhope, Ala., native, anchored the Troy infield at second base this season. He led the league in assists for most of the year before injuries forced him to make the move to shortstop. The senior is second on the club with a .321 average and leads the team with 69 hits. Pitts reached base in 17 straight games to start the season. He set a career-high with four hits in a game against Georgia State. Pitts also lifted Troy to a win over Central Michigan with a two-home run performance.
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Sixth-seeded Troy will open play in the Sun Belt Tournament against No. 3 Arkansas State on Wednesday at 4 p.m. at South Alabama's Stanky Field.
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Skinner is the third Troy player to win an individual league award in the last four years. Teammate Shane McCain earned Pitcher of the Year in 2013 and Tyler Ray won the award in 2011. In 2007, Josh Dew also won Pitcher of the Year.
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Second baseman Garrett Pitts, designated hitter David Hall along with Skinner were named second team All-Sun Belt.
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"It is a difficult thing for a pitcher, much less a first-year pitcher, to possess the talent, maturity and poise to come in and finish games. That is what Marc has done; his future is very bright," Troy head coach Bobby Pierce said.
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Skinner, a Phenix City native, put together a fabulous freshman season, appearing in 30 games - sixth most in Troy single-season history. He pitched 60 innings during the regular season striking out 64 batters while allowing just 10 earned runs. Skinner's 1.50 ERA led the conference while his five wins and five save were tops on the team.
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"We are very excited for Marc, David and Garrett. It says a lot of how hard they have worked to put themselves in a position to be among the best in the Sun Belt Conference," Pierce said.
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Hall was Troy's leading hitter, batting at a .337 clip with team-high nine home runs and 46 RBIs. The junior from Fort Pierce, Fla., started the season reaching base in his first 14 plate appearances and 16 of his first 18. Hall has hit two grand slams this season and launched a three-run home run in the 10th inning to lift the Trojans over UALR. He has turned in 22 multiple-hit games and 10 multi-RBI games this year.
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Pitts, a Fairhope, Ala., native, anchored the Troy infield at second base this season. He led the league in assists for most of the year before injuries forced him to make the move to shortstop. The senior is second on the club with a .321 average and leads the team with 69 hits. Pitts reached base in 17 straight games to start the season. He set a career-high with four hits in a game against Georgia State. Pitts also lifted Troy to a win over Central Michigan with a two-home run performance.
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Sixth-seeded Troy will open play in the Sun Belt Tournament against No. 3 Arkansas State on Wednesday at 4 p.m. at South Alabama's Stanky Field.
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