Four Hurricanes on Revised Wallace Watch List
May 6, 2008
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CORAL GABLES, Fla. – University of Miami junior first baseman Yonder Alonso, sophomore left-handed pitcher Eric Erickson, freshman left-handed pitcher Chris Hernandez and junior second baseman Jemile Weeks have been named to the revised watch list for the 2008 Brooks Wallace Player of the Year Award, given to the nation’s top collegiate player by the College Baseball Foundation. Miami was one of three schools (Arizona State, Miami, North Carolina) with at least four players on the list.
Alonso, Weeks and Erickson were named to the preseason Wallace Watch List. The Atlantic Coast Conference has 14 players on the list. The field was reduced to 100 candidates as announced by the College Baseball Foundation in <?xml:namespace prefix=”u2″?>Lubbock, Texas.
Weeks ranks fourth in the ACC in hitting (.390) while producing 26 extra-base hits (13 doubles, four triples and nine home runs). He became the UM all-time lead in career triples with his 18th in the Saint Mary’s (Calif.) series.
Alonso ranks second in the ACC in home runs (14) – 10 of those coming in ACC play. He ranks eighth in batting (.384) in league play. He is second in the nation in walks (53) and third in on-base percentage (.550). He leads the Hurricanes with 50 RBI while slugging .775.
Erickson and Hernandez are two of the top eight pitchers in the conference. Erickson is 7-0 with a 2.83 ERA while holding opponents a .209 batting average. Hernandez leads the ACC with an 8-0 record. He has a 2.70 ERA while holding opponents to a .205 batting average.
The selection committee will narrow the “Wallace Watch” throughout the remainder of the season and the three Wallace Award finalists will be announced following NCAA Super Regional play. Along with their head coaches and parents, the finalists will be invited to Lubbock from July 2-4 to participate in the College Baseball Foundation’s “Past Meets Present” celebration of college baseball. The 2008 College Baseball Hall of Fame Inductees will also be present for the three days of festivities.
The Wallace Award is a dedication to the memory of the former Texas Tech player and assistant coach Brooks Wallace. Wallace was a slick-fielding shortstop at Texas Tech from 1977 to 1980. A four-year starter, he was named All-Southwest Conference and All-District his senior year. He led the Red Raiders to their first-ever appearance in the Southwest Conference Tournament in 1980. After playing two years in the Texas Rangers organization, he returned to Texas Tech and served as a graduate assistant and later as an assistant coach. In the summer of 1984, he was diagnosed with cancer and fought the disease courageously until his death on March 24, 1985, at age 27. The Plano, TX, native was married to the former Sandy Arnold and they had one daughter, Lindsay Ryan.
