Baseball: Two Named to Brooks Wallace Watch List
December 09, 2008 04:41 PM | General
By Steve Stone for MSNsportsNET.com
December 9, 2008
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| Justin Parks will try to feed off his impressive 2008 season.
WVU Sports Communications photo |
MORGANTOWN, W.Va. - West Virginia University baseball players Jedd Gyorko and Justin Parks were two of 205 collegiate members named to the preseason 2009 Brooks Wallace Player of the Year Watch List.
The Wallace Award is presented annually to the top collegiate baseball player. Former baseball player Tyler Kuhn was named to the 2008 Brooks Wallace Preseason Watch List.
In 2008, Gyorko compiled a .409 batting average with eight home runs, 63 RBIs and 95 hits. The Morgantown native was the second Mountaineer to be named BIG EAST Rookie of the Year and also became a Pro Line Athletic/NCBWA, Rivals.com and Louisville Slugger Freshman All-American.
The sophomore also produced 17 doubles, three triples and boasted a .612 slugging percentage. In addition to his freshman awards, he earned a selection as a 2008 Pro Line Athletic/NCBWA Second Team All-American.
Parks, a fifth-year senior from Columbus, Ohio, enjoyed his best season as a Mountaineer in 2008. The All-BIG EAST Second Team selection batted .378 with five home runs, 43 RBIs and 79 hits.
Parks also had a team-leading 17 hit-by-pitches, and was among the team leaders with 23 walks. He sported a .983 fielding percentage after making the switch from an everyday catcher to a starting right fielder prior to the season.
The fifth-year senior’s 27 multi-hit games in 2008 tie him for eighth place on WVU’s single season list. His 58 runs scored tie him for ninth in school history on the single season list.
The BIG EAST shows a total of 10 players who were named to the preseason watch list.
