Diaz Named Louisville Slugger All-American
CORAL GABLES, Fla. – Junior lefthander Chris Diaz hauled in his career-first All-America honors Thursday afternoon, earning a spot on the Louisville Slugger First Team as announced by Collegiate Baseball Newspaper.
Diaz, who was named 2014 ACC Co-Pitcher of the Year prior to last week’s ACC Championship in Greensboro, N.C., finished the spring with a flawless 9-0 record and a 2.31 ERA. The Hurricanes won every 2014 regular-season game started by Diaz, who became Miami’s first first-team selection since Yasmani Grandal in 2010.
With 93.2 innings pitched over his 15 starts, Diaz is just the 10th Hurricane to ever earn a spot on the Louisville Slugger First Team. Redshirt junior lefthander Bryan Radziewski was named to the second team in 2013.
The Florida City, Fla., native struck out 80 batters compared to just 38 walks, and held opposing hitters to a .239 average over the course of the season.
Diaz, who owns a career record of 18-6 with a dazzling 2.25 ERA , allowed two earned runs or less in 12 of his 15 starts this spring. Dating back to 2013 – his first season as a starter in the weekend rotation – the southpaw has yielded two earned runs or less in 24 of 31 starts.
Top-seeded Miami opens play at the Coral Gables Regional on Friday night against fourth-seeded Bethune-Cookman. First pitch for the game, slated for broadcast on ESPN3, is set for 7 p.m.
