MARSHALL, Minn. – Three members of the Shepherd University baseball team have been named to the 2018 NCAA Division II Conference Commissioners Association (D2CCA) All-America Baseball team. Sophomore utility player Christian Hamel (Pasadena, Md./IMG Academy) gained first team honors, sophomore outfielder Brenton Doyle (Warrenton, Va./Kettle Run) was a second team choice, while junior utility/pitcher Justin Smith (Hagerstown, Md./Smithsburg/Hagerstown CC) was an honorable mention selection.

Hamel, who earlier in the week gained honorable mention NCBWA All-America honors, recorded a .350 batting average with 63 hits in 180 at-bats. He drove in 57 runs and scored 50. He added a team-best 18 doubles, a triple, and 13 home runs. Hamel was 8-for-8 in stolen bases.

Doyle, who earned first team NCBWA All-American honors earlier in the week, posted a .415 batting average with a Shepherd single-season record 98 hits in 236 at-bats. The MEC Player of the Year added 68 RBI, 64 runs scored, 17 doubles, four triples, and 14 round-trippers. Doyle was also successful in 22-of-23 stolen base attempts. His 165 total bases on the season also established a Shepherd single-season mark. He was a four-time MEC Player of the Week and a two-time NCBWA Atlantic Region Player of the Week.

Smith had a team-best .426 batting average with 60 hits in 141 at-bats. He drove in 43 runs and scored 41. Smith added 10 doubles and 13 home runs. He also boasts a 7-2 record on the mound with a 5.98 ERA. He has fanned 37 in 55.2 innings.

The CCA All-America and All-Region baseball teams, which are selected by CoSIDA?members from schools playing Division II baseball, were first established in 2007. This is the third year in which the program is solely sponsored by the Division II Conference Commissioners Association. 

Shepherd finished the season with a 38-17 overall mark as the MEC North Division champions. The Rams made their third consecutive NCAA II regional appearance.

2018 CCA NCAA Division II Baseball All-America Team

Ron Lenz Pitcher of the Year: Josiah Gray, Jr., Le Moyne

Ron Lenz Player of the Year: Zack Shannon, Sr., Delta State

2018 CCA FIRST TEAM

C Mikey Gangwish Jr. Colorado School of Mines

1B Zack Shannon Sr. Delta State

2B Kyle Marsh Jr. Embry-Riddle

 3B Trey Jacobs Fr. UNC Pembroke

SS Patrick Dorrian Sr. Lynn

OF Blake Adams Sr. Tarleton State

OF Zander Clarke Jr. UC San Diego

OF Drake McNamara Sr. Southern Indiana

DH Nick Stokowski Sr. Illinois Springfield

UT (non-pitcher) Christian Hamel So. Shepherd

UT (pitcher) Andrew Bash So. California Baptist

SP Josiah Gray Jr. Le Moyne

SP Joe Ryan Sr. Stanislaus State

SP Gus Varland Jr. Concordia-St. Paul

SP Chris Vallimont Sr. Mercyhurst

RP J.T. Hintzen Sr. Florida Southern

2018 CCA SECOND TEAM

C Tyler Walters Sr. Slippery Rock

1B Jared Melone Jr. West Chester

2B Cody Birdsong Jr. Quincy

3B Kaleo Johnson Jr. Montana State Billings

SS Cole Taylor Sr. Illinois Springfield

OF Matt Diesel Sr. Felician

OF Austin Edgette Sr. Bloomsburg

OF Brenton Doyle So. Shepherd

DH Hayden Marze Jr. Florida Southern

UT (non-pitcher) Nate Schmal Sr. Georgia College

UT (pitcher) Logan Browning Sr. Florida Southern

SP Jacob Blank Sr. Augustana

SP Charlie Hecht Sr. Georgia College

SP David Lebron Sr. Tampa

SP James Varela Jr. LIU Post

RP Zach Vennaro Sr. Mount Olive

2018 CCA THIRD TEAM

C Colin Kaucher Jr. Ohio Dominican

1B Justin Childers Sr. Ohio Dominican

2B Ted DeSanti Sr. Indiana (Pa.)

3B Jacob Richardson Sr. Southern Arkansas

SS Alex Pimentel Jr. Southwestern Oklahoma State

OF Logan Mattix Sr. Georgia College

OF Bryce Fischer Sr. Emporia State

OF Andrew Liberty Sr. Nova Southeastern

DH Nate Cardy Jr. Gannon

UT (non-pitcher) Hayden Duer Sr. Cal State Monterey Bay

UT (pitcher) Alex Achtermann Jr. Nebraska-Kearney

SP Tucker Burgess Jr. North Greenville

SP Kolton Ingram Jr. Columbus State

SP Tanner Lawson Jr. St. Edward's

SP Dan Wirchansky Sr. Pace

RP Taylor Langston Jr. Henderson State

2018 CCA HONORABLE MENTION 

Jake Anchia (C, Nova Southeastern) ; Chance Bowden, (1B, Catawba) ; Alex DeLaCruz (2B, Eastern New Mexico) ; Kyle Hubbuch (3B, North Alabama) ; Nick Ward, (SS, West Chester) ; Darrell Langston (OF, Claflin) ; David Vinsky (OF, Northwood) ; Tyler Flores (OF, Point Loma) ; Lucas Wylie (DH, Augustana) ; Luis Olivier (Utility-Non Pitcher, Embry-Riddle) ; Justin Smith, (Utility-Pitcher, Shepherd) ; David Palmer, (SP, New Haven) ; Tyler Jandron (SP, Northwood) ; Michael Stout (SP, Fairmont State) ; Alex Pondick, (SP, Montevallo) ; Jae Wagner (RP, Chico State) ; Brandon LaMana (New Haven)