2019 Perfect Game Preseason All-ACC Team | 2019 GT Baseball Schedule | Purchase Tickets
THE FLATS – Georgia Tech junior outfielder Chase Murray, redshirt junior utility player Tristin English and junior pitcher Connor Thomas were selected to Perfect Game’s preseason all-Atlantic Coast Conference team, it was announced Monday.
Returning seven of nine starters and its entire starting pitcher corps. from last season, the Yellow Jackets’ three student-athletes on the list is tied for the most among the ACC – with NC State – while they are also just one of four programs to receive multiple recognitions.
One of its most dangerous hitters, Murray is the leading returner at the plate for Georgia Tech, hitting .343/.410/.510 for 72 hits, six home runs, 20 extra-base hits and 39 RBI last season despite suffering from a hand injury much of the year. He had 22 multi-hit games in 2018 to give him 35 for his career and rank him tied for second among active players. Murray also came through in clutch situations last year, making game-winning plays at Virginia (sacrifice fly) and vs. Duke (two-run triple). En route to second-team all-ACC honors last year, the Cincinnati, Ohio native finished sixth in the ACC with six sac flies and now ranks 10th for his career at Tech (since 1998) with 11.
Already a two-time preseason all-American for 2019, English is considered to be one of the top two-way players in the country. English drove in a team-high 60 RBI last season, hitting .279 with six home runs and a team-high 17 doubles at the plate last season, while also having the Jackets’ third-lowest ERA at 4.11. In 16 total appearances (nine starts), he fanned 51 batters – walking just 13 – and received two decision wins and one save. The Williamson, Ga. native then went on to have an outstanding summer, hitting .300 overall (19 RBI and five homers) while also pitching nearly 70 combined innings en route to Cape Cod All-Star honors.
Thomas is coming off a sensational sophomore campaign that saw him lead starting pitchers with a 3.34 ERA in 16 appearances to finish 7-4 on the year. In 97.0 innings of work, he struck out a team-high 106 batters, while walking just 10. With a 10.6 strikeout-to-walk ratio last season, Thomas ranks second among Division I returners from 2018 behind St. John’s Tim Brennan (16.8). He is also on pace to shatter the Tech record for fewest walks allowed/nine innings, currently first at 1.59, ahead of Chris Goodman’s (2002-03) 1.92. With three CG’s last season, the Omega, Ga. native ranks seventh all-time at Tech.
Preseason All-Conference
Pos. – Name – Year – School
C – Patrick Bailey – So. – NC State
1B – Logan Wyatt – Jr. – Louisville
MIF – Will Willson – Jr. – NC State
MIF – Logan Davidson – Jr. – Clemson
3B – Drew Mendoza – Jr. – Florida State
OF – Michael Busch – Jr. – North Carolina
OF – Chris Galland – So. – Boston College
OF – Chase Murray – Jr. – Georgia Tech
DH – Evan Edwards – Sr. – NC State
UT – Tristin English – Jr. – Georgia Tech
SP – Drew Parrish – Jr. – Florida State
SP – Connor Thomas – Jr. – Georgia Tech
SP – Nick Bennett – Jr. – Louisville
SP – Graeme Stinson – Jr. – Duke
RP – Andrew Abbott – So. – Virginia
Baseball season ticket renewals and new sales are still underway for the upcoming 2019 regular season. Yellow Jackets’ season tickets are available for as low as $125 per ticket – a savings of nearly 50 percent compared to single-game pricing – and secures the best seats in the house for when top-5 opponents UCLA and North Carolina, as well as nationally ranked Georgia, Clemson and Auburn, arrive on The Flats.
Fans can CLICK HERE to purchase new season tickets while previous season-ticket holders can renew at ramblinwreck.com/myaccount.
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