STAFF REPORTS
Junior Travis Ballew continued to receive postseason honors as the right-handed pitcher was tabbed on the ABCA All-South Central Region Second Team recently after a vote from the region’s coaches and sports information directors. The all-region recognition is the first of Ballew’s career.
Ballew, the Southland Conference Pitcher of the Year and all-American selection, finished his breakout 2012 campaign with an 11-4 overall record and 2.73 ERA. He struck out a team-high 119 batters in 102 1/3 innings, while holding opponents to just a .239 batting average collectively. Ballew also had four complete games, two of which were shutouts, during his third season with the Bobcats.
A Louisville Slugger All-American this season, Ballew’s 2012 campaign has put him in the all-time top-10 in several categories for the Bobcats. His 11 wins put him in a tie for second in a season with former players Bobby Sawicki and Blake Williams, all three of whom finished one win behind William Brunson’s 12-win season in 1992. Ballew also ranks fourth in Texas State history in single-season strikeouts, while his two shutouts tie him for fifth and his 2.73 ERA is the 10th best.
Amongst Ballew’s many standout performances during the season was a three-hit shutout of Notre Dame before he struck out a career-high 12 batters at Texas A&M-Corpus Christi on April 5 when he limited the Islanders to one run over nine innings. He then tied his career high with two more 12-strikeout performances later in the season.
Ballew’s selection made it five straight seasons in which at least one Bobcat has earned ABCA All-Region honors. His was the 15th selection for a Texas State player on an all-region team since 2000.
