After leading the Radford University baseball team to a 19-8 record and the No. 2 seed in the Big South Championships, six Highlanders have earned All-Conference honors. Kyle Butler and J.D. Mundy were named to the First Team, Andrew Szamski and Bruce Hudson were named to the Second Team, Spencer Horwitz was Honorable Mention and Straton Podaras made the All-Academic Team.
This is the second time in the last three seasons that the Highlanders have had six or more All-Big South representatives. It’s the third time Horwitz has appeared on the postseason awards lists and the second time for Butler.
“I’m happy for the guys that have had great seasons and were noticed around the league for the production that they’ve had the entire year,” Joe Raccuia said. “They are all deserving of the recognition that they have received.”
A Second Team All-Big South selection in 2017, Butler turned in his best season as a Highlander this year. The Chesapeake, Va. native split time between second base and center field, playing in and starting 53 games. He hit .271 with four home runs, 29 runs batted in and six stolen bases while providing a .989 fielding percentage. His 46 runs scored ranked fifth in the conference.
Mundy became an immediate impact bat after transferring to Radford in the offseason. In Big South statistical rankings, he sat second in slugging percentage (.592), third in runs batted in (51), tied for third in walks (38), tied for third in doubles (15), fourth in home runs (13) and tied for fourth in total bases (113). A native of nearby Roanoke, Va., Mundy played in and started 53 games for the Highlanders, earning an on-base percentage of .413 with 37 runs scored and four stolen bases.
The only Highlander to start play in and start all 54 games, Szamski proved all season that he’s one of the top players in the conference. In the Big South, he ranked second in runs scored (51), second in runs batted in (52), fourth in hits (68), seventh in home runs (10), ninth in slugging percentage (.514) and twelfth in batting average (.315). Playing primarily in right field, he tallied 120 putouts, five assists and a .984 fielding percentage.
Hudson announced his presence as a premier arm out of the bullpen this season after redshirting his first year at Radford. The Washington, D.C. native put together a 4-1 record with a 2.25 ERA and one save in 16 appearances. He racked up 33 strikeouts and held opposing batters to a .204 average across 40.0 innings pitched.
Horwitz followed up his Second Team All-Big South selections in 2017 and 2018 with yet another postseason award in 2019. Through 53 games, the first baseman leads the Big South and ranks top 50 in the nation with 42 walks. He also ranks tied for sixth in the conference in runs scored (45) and eighth in home runs (9). The St. Paul’s School product drove in 40 RBI and stole three bases while accumulating a .475 slugging percentage and a .401 on-base percentage.
Podaras had a strong year on the field and in the classroom, making the Big South All-Academic Team for the first time in his career. He owns a 3.68 grade point average as an accouting major and played in 37 games, including 31 starts, at catcher. He hit a career-high three home runs and matched his career high with 22 runs batted in.
With the number two seed in the Big South Tournament, the Highlanders will begin their journey through the bracket on Wednesday, May 22 at 12:30 pm. They will face off against the lowest advancing from Games 1 and 2 which feature the No. 6 vs. the No. 9 and the No. 7 vs. the No. 8. The game will be streamed on ESPN3.
2019 BIG SOUTH CONFERENCE BASEBALL ALL-CONFERENCE TEAMS:
FIRST-TEAM ALL-CONFERENCE
OF Matthew Barefoot, R-Jr., Campbell
OF Hunter Lipscomb, Sr., Winthrop
OF Jeff Taylor, Soph., USC Upstate
INF Chandler Redmond, Sr., Gardner-Webb
INF Ryan Stoudermire, Jr., Charleston Southern
INF Luis Gimenez, Sr., Campbell
INF Brandon Lankford, Jr., UNC Asheville
C Justin Kunz, Sr., Gardner-Webb
UTL Kyle Butler, R-Sr., Radford
DH J.D. Mundy, Jr., Radford
SP Michael Horrell, Sr., Campbell
SP Ryan Chasse, Fr., Campbell
SP Nate Pawelczyk, Sr., Winthrop
RP RJ Petit, Fr., Charleston Southern
RP Colten Rendon, Jr., Winthrop
SECOND-TEAM ALL-CONFERENCE:
OF Zacchaeus Rasberry, Jr., Presbyterian
OF Andrew Szamski, R-Sr., Radford
OF Nick Guimbarda, Sr., Presbyterian
INF Travis Holt, Soph., High Point
INF Collin Wolf, Jr., Campbell
INF Jason Miller, Sr., Charleston Southern
INF Danny Wilson, Sr., UNC Asheville
C Spencer Yankle, Jr., Winthrop
UTL Daniel Millwee, Sr., High Point
DH J.J. Shimko, Sr., USC Upstate
SP Zach Peek, Jr., Winthrop
SP Jackson Dean, R-Jr., Presbyterian
SP Harrison Smith, R-Jr., High Point
RP Bruce Hudson, R-Fr., Radford
RP Will Wheeler, Jr., USC Upstate
HONORABLE MENTION ALL-CONFERENCE:
Jimmy Marcelli, Jr., INF, Presbyterian
Antwaun Tucker, Jr., INF, Longwood
Eric Miles, Jr, SP, Presbyterian
Spencer Horwitz, Jr., INF, Radford
Austin Fahr, Sr., RP, UNC Asheville
ALL-ACADEMIC TEAM
Wyatt Tyson, Jr., RP, Campbell
Jaret Bennett, Jr., SP, Charleston Southern
Chandler Redmond, Sr., 2B, Gardner-Webb
Harrison Smith, R-Jr., RHP, High Point
Carlos Garrido, Sr., C, Longwood
Nick Guimbarda, Sr., OF, Presbyterian
Straton Podaras, Jr., C, Radford
Jordan Carr, Jr., P, UNC Asheville
Jordan Marks, Soph., RHP, USC Upstate
Hunter Lipscomb, Sr., OF, Winthrop
PLAYER OF THE YEAR:
Chandler Redmond, INF, Sr., Gardner-Webb
PITCHER OF THE YEAR
Michael Horrell, SP, Sr., Campbell
FRESHMAN OF THE YEAR
Ryan Chasse, SP, Fr., Campbell
COACH OF THE YEAR
Rusty Stroupe, Gardner-Webb
SCHOLAR-ATHLETE OF THE YEAR
Nick Guimbarda, Sr., OF, Presbyterian
–RU Athletics
