May 19, 2014
THE FLATS – Georgia Tech’s Matt Gonzalez, Thomas Smith, Daniel Spingola and Mott Hyde have been named to the 2014 All-Atlantic Coast Conference Baseball Team, as announced by Commissioner John Swofford on Monday.
Outfielders Gonzalez and Spingola and first baseman Smith were named to the second team, while second baseman Hyde was named third team. It’s the seventh consecutive year that three or more Yellow Jackets have earned All-ACC honors and mark 100 all-time all-conference honors in 21 seasons under head coach Danny Hall.
Matt Gonzalez, Sophomore, Outfield, Acworth, Ga./Harrison
• Hit .307 overall (19th in the ACC) with 16 doubles, 32 RBI and nine stolen bases
• His 16 doubles were seventh-most in the ACC
• Led the ACC and ranked fourth nationally with nine outfield assists
• Led the team with seven game-winning RBI
• Only Jacket to start all 56 games
Thomas Smith, Junior, First Base, Ft. Pierce, Fla./John Carroll
• Hit .306 overall (20th in the ACC) with eight doubles, two home runs, 33 RBI and 33 runs
• Led the team with a .402 on-base percentage
• Committed just two errors all season for a .996 fielding percentage
Daniel Spingola, Junior, Outfield, Roswell, Ga./Marist
• Hit a team-leading .323 (11th in the ACC) with six doubles, seven triples, three home runs and 34 RBI
• Led the ACC in hits (73) and triples (seven)
• Scored a team-best 39 runs, including a team-best seven game-winning runs
• Led the team with a .336 average in ACC play (fourth in the ACC) and 20 RBI versus the ACC
• Was 15-for-16 in stolen bases, including 8-for-8 in ACC play
Mott Hyde, Senior, Second Base, Calhoun, Ga./Calhoun
• Hit a career-best .291 overall with 11 doubles, two triples, three homers and 31 RBI
• His average of .319 in ACC play ranked eighth
• Part of a defense that turned 64 double plays in the regular season to lead the NCAA
• Fielded .976 in ACC play, committing just four errors versus the conference
Each of the ACC awards are the first in their careers. Tech has had at least one outfielder earn All-ACC mention in four consecutive years and 14 of the last 15 years. Hyde becomes the Jacket’s first All-ACC honoree at second base since Mike Trapani in 2005.
Florida State’s D.J. Stewart was named the 2014 ACC Player of the Year, while Nathan Kirby (Virginia) and Chris Diaz (Miami) shared Pitcher of the Year honors. Zach Collins from Miami was the Rookie of the Year and the Cavaliers’ Brian O’Connor earned Coach of the Year honors.
Tech opens play at the 2014 ACC Championship on Tuesday versus Wake Forest at 3 p.m. in Greensboro, N.C.
