Carpenter among four Lions named ABCA/Rawlings All-Region

GREENSBORO, N.C. — The Piedmont College baseball team had four players selected to the ABCA/Rawlings All-South Region teams, announced by the organization on Tuesday.
 
Senior outfielder Brady Ballstadt and junior left-hander an former Gainesville High Sam Carpenter each earned first team honors, with senior right-hander Matt Vonderschmidt earning a spot on the second team and fellow relief pitcher David Craft taking home third team honors.
 
SAM CARPENTER, ALL-SOUTH REGION FIRST TEAM
 
After making his ABCA/Rawlings All-Region debut last season as a member of the third team, Carpenter produced an even better junior campaign, vaulting up to a first team selection this year.
 
Carpenter served as the dependable staff ace for the Lions. Carpenter led the team and the conference with 83 1/3 innings pitched. He also delivered a league-best 87 strikeouts helping him to an All-USA South First Team selection.
 
Carpenter picked up a win in eight of his 13 starts, taking just a single loss for the season.
 
BRADY BALLSTADT, ALL-SOUTH REGION FIRST TEAM
 
The award marks the third consecutive season in which Ballstadt has been honored. The Suwanee, Georgia native was named to the third team in 2017 and earned a spot on the first team last season.
 
In his final campaign for the Lions, Ballstadt did not disappoint, finishing with a .396 batting average to go with two home runs and 34 RBI. 
 
During the year, Ballstadt broke the Piedmont career records for home runs, RBI, runs, hits and doubles.
 
For his outstanding work, he was rewarded by being named USA South Player of the Year for the second year in a row.
 
In addition, Ballstadt was named to the All-USA South First Team for the third straight season. He was also named to the All-South Region First Team and an Honorable Mention All-American by D3baseball.com.
 
On March 25, he was named USA South Player of the Week for the third time in his career after batting .750 over four games, all of which were Piedmont victories.
 
MATT VONDERSCHMIDT, ALL-SOUTH REGION SECOND TEAM
 
The senior right-handed reliever saved his best season for his last, making his debut with an All-South Region Second Team selection.
 
The Suwanee, Georgia native served as PC's anchor at the back end of the bullpen all season, picking up a USA South-best nine saves. Vonderschmidt made 20 appearances, pitching 31 innings out of the bullpen. In those 31 innings, he allowed just four earned runs, walking just six against 34 strikeouts and a 1.16 ERA. He was rewarded with a spot on the All-USA South First Team.
 
DAVID CRAFT, ALL-SOUTH REGION THIRD TEAM
 
Craft is also making his first appearance, earning a spot on the third team in his final season for the Lions. 
 
The senior right-handed reliever totaled 47 1/3 innings on the mound, second on the team despite not starting a single game. Craft's 1.71 ERA led the USA South among pitchers with enough innings to qualify.
 
Craft tallied a 6-1 record and was honored at the end of the regular season with a spot on the All-USA South Third Team.
 
ABCA/Rawlings All-Region first-team selections are nominated for ABCA/Rawlings All-America honors. The ABCA/Rawlings NCAA Div. III All-Americans will be announced on Thursday following the Opening Ceremonies at the NCAA Div. III World Series. 
 
The ABCA All-America team was first recognized in 1949 and now includes nine divisions: NCAA Divisions I, II and III, NAIA, NJCAA Divisions I, II and III, Pacific Association Division, and high school. ABCA/Rawlings Gold Glove teams were first recognized in 2007.