Louisville Slugger All-Americans
San Marcos, Texas – Junior pitcher Carson Smith became the third Texas State baseball player in the program's history to earn all-America honors when Collegiate Baseball released its national NCAA Division I selections on Thursday. A 6-foot-5 right-handed pitcher from Midland, Smith was named to the Louisville Slugger All-American Second Team after a vote from the Collegiate Baseball staff.
A Louisville Slugger Preseason All-American Third Team selection this season, Smith adds all-American accolades to an already impressive résumé that includes being named the Southland Conference Pitcher of the Year for the second straight season and three national player of the week awards during the 13th week of the regular season. A three-time Southland Conference Pitcher of the Week during the season, Smith was also named a preseason all-America third team selection by College Baseball Lineup.
To date, Smith has compiled a 9-3 record with a 1.98 ERA and 124 strikeouts in 104 1/3 innings on the mound. The junior has tossed a pair of complete games this season, while holding opponents to a .213 batting average collectively.
Smith is closing in on several single-season and career records for Texas State. He is currently tied for the second most strikeouts in a single season with Bobby Sawicki, who also struck out 124 batters in 2002. Smith needs four more punchouts to surpass the single season record of 127 set by former Texas State pitcher and first-round draft pick, Blake Williams in 2000. Also, in his two seasons with the Bobcats, Smith has totaled 218 strikeouts for fourth on the career list.
Smith's 1.98 ERA is currently the best single-season earned-run average in Texas State history, topping Justin Fiske's mark of 2.01 in 2007. Also, with nine victories this year, Smith is tied for ninth on the single-season wins list. That also gives him 19 wins for his career, which is tied for seventh most all-time.
With his all-American status, Smith joins two Texas State players from the most recent NCAA Regional-qualifying team in 2009 – pitcher Kane Holbrooks and first baseman Paul Goldschmidt – as the only Bobcat baseball players ever to earn all-American honors.
Also from that 2009 team, current junior Tyler Sibley was named a Louisville Slugger Freshman All-American during his first season with the Bobcats.
Smith is one of three Southland Conference players to be honored by Louisville Slugger as Texas A&M-Corpus Christi outfielder Matt Holland and Stephen F. Austin outfielder Bryson Myles both earned third team honors.
UCLA pitcher Trevor Bauer was named the Louisville Slugger Player of the Year.
Smith will be on the mound on Friday to lead the Bobcats into the Austin Regional against No. 24 Kent State. First pitch is scheduled for 1 p.m. at UFCU Disch-Falk Field.
