Pirates Earn Region Baseball Honors

SAVANNAH, Ga. - Senior Cody Walden was named the Daktronics/CoSIDA Southeast Region Pitcher of the Year on Wednesday, one of four Armstrong Atlantic State baseball players honored on a pair of region teams who will have a chance at All-America honors.

Walden was also named to the first team All-Southeast Region squad, while outfielder Alex Wyche was named to the second team as an outfielder.

Also earning honors were senior Kenny Cail and designated hitter Josh Heath, who were each named to the ESPN: The Magazine/CoSIDA Academic All-Distrct III team.

Walden went 11-2 with a 3.70 ERA in 17 appearances, leading the Peach Belt Conference in wins and in innings pitched. He is the first AASU player to earn 10 or more wins since Jon Troop won 11 games in 2005, and the Tucson, Ariz., native also earned All-PBC honors this season.

Wyche led the Pirates in hitting with a .398 average with 11 doubles, 7 triples, 6 home runs and 58 RBIs. The Macon, Ga., native also earned All-PBC honors this season.

Cail earns his first ESPN: The Magazine/CoSIDA Academic All-District honor as an infielder for carrying a 3.53 GPA in biology. The senior from Savannah was also a second-team All-PBC honoree this season, hitting .357 with 18 doubles, 5 home runs and 50 RBI.

Heath, meanwhile, also earns his first honor by carrying a perfect 4.00 GPA in biology as a designated hitter. Heath has been the primary righthanded DH this season for the Pirates, hitting .288 with a home run and 14 RBI.

Each honoree will advance to a national ballot to determine All-American honors.