MEDFORD, MA (May 29, 2024) -- The Tufts University baseball team had a strong season, making it to the New England Small College Athletic Conference (NESCAC) title game while winning 25 contests. On Tuesday, a pair of Jumbo contributors were named as American Baseball Coaches Association (ABCA) All-Region 1 honorees, with first-year
Malachi Pena earning Second Team and senior hurler
Silas Reed taking Third Team accolades.
Pena was one of just five freshmen to earn All-Region selections, as he earned one of five Second Team outfield spots. Reed was picked to the Third Team for the first time in his career after being selected as a All-NESCAC First Team honoree.
Pena had a great season with his bat as he hit .353 with a .963 OPS. He had 51 hits, including five homers, and he led the Jumbos with 12 doubles and had 43 RBIs. He was picked as the NESCAC Rookie of the Year, while also being picked to the All-NESCAC First Team.
Reed was the ace for the Jumbos' pitching staff. He finished the season with a 7-2 record, he had a 3.95 ERA and a 1.32 WHIP as he pitched 70.2 innings. Reed was third in the NESCAC with 64 strikeouts and threw three complete games with two being shutouts. One of his shutouts came against Bates College on April 6, where he threw a career-high of 17 strikeouts and was named NESCAC Player of the Week for his performance.
The teams are voted on by members of the American Baseball Coaches Association and the process is led by the ABCA NCAA Div. III All-America & Coach of the Year Committee.
The Chair of the ABCA NCAA Div. III All-America & Coach of the Year Committee is Paul Hesse of the University of Mount Union. Also on the committee are Justin Beach (SUNY Brockport), Brian Casey (U.S. Coast Guard Academy), Dean Glus (The College of New Jersey), Dan Gomez (Western New England University), Ray Hedrick (Randolph-Macon College), Luke Johnson (North Park University), Scott Laverty (Chapman University), Yogi Lutz (Alvernia University) and Kevin Tomasiewicz (University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh).
The ABCA/Rawlings NCAA Div. III All-America teams will be announced the evening of Thursday, May 30 immediately following the Opening Ceremony at the 2024 NCAA Div. III World Series in Eastlake, Ohio. Only First Team All-Region selections are eligible for All-America honors.
The ABCA/Rawlings Gold Glove teams for all divisions will be announced on Wednesday, June 19. The 2024 ABCA NCAA Div. III Region All-Defensive teams will be announced on Thursday, June 20.
--JUMBOS--
