June 15, 2011
DURHAM, N.C.– Georgia Tech junior pitcher Mark Pope has been named to the Baseball America and National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association All-America teams, both publications announced Wednesday. Pope, a third team selection, is one of eight members from the Atlantic Coast Conference to earn All-America accolades.
Pope, who was named the Louisville Slugger All-America Second Team earlier in the month, is coming off a career season in which he posted an 11-4 record with a 1.74 ERA and 88 strikeouts in 113.2 innings. His 1.74 ERA is the sixth-lowest single season average in Tech history, and the lowest for a Tech pitcher since Mike Schisler’s 1.35 ERA in 1973.
He is 24-6 with a 3.00 ERA in three seasons, having tossed six career complete games. Pope’s four career complete game shutouts are a Georgia Tech modern day record, while the 3.00 ERA is the 10th-best in the school record books.
He tossed a complete-game one-hitter against Wake Forest on April 15, becoming the first Tech pitcher to toss a one-hitter since the 1997 season.
Pope was recently selected in the fifth round of the 2011 Major League Baseball First Year Player draft by the San Diego Padres, and has yet to sign with the ball club. He still has one year of eligibility remaining at Georgia Tech.
He was named as a semifinalist for the Golden Spikes Award (given to the nation’s top amateur player) and a quarterfinalist for the College Baseball Foundation’s Pitcher of the Year Award.
Joining Pope as players from the ACC that made both squads are Clemson’s Brad Miller, Florida State’s Sean Gilmartin and James Ramsey and Virginia’s Danny Hultzen.
