Verts & Robbins Leads Cavs’ Baseball All-AAC Selections

May 7, 2007

Josh Verts
Brad Robbins
David Jones
Jorge Laboy
John Bigley

Wise, VA – Sophomore duo Josh Verts and Brad Robbins leads the UVa-Wise baseball All-Appalachian Athletic Conference selections. Pitcher David Jones and shortstop Jorge Laboy received second team honors and first baseman John Bigley was an honorable mention pick.

The quintet of Highland Cavaliers have led the team to its first NAIA Region XII appearance since 2002 and tied the school record with 30 wins in a season (30-15-1) after completing a 2-2 run in the Appalachian Athletic Conference.

Outfielder Verts from Winchester, VA excelled at the plate for the 2007 season after concentrating totally on pitching a year ago. He led UVA-Wise with 39 runs batted in and lining 17 doubles. The second-year player was also in the squad’s top three in five other offensive categories with a .407 average, 55 hits, 38 runs scored, nine home runs and a .733 slugging percentage. Verts started the year with a seven-game hit streak and 10 of his first 11 contests while having 17 multi-hit efforts. His top game came in the AAC tournament where he went 6 for 8 with four doubles in the 14 inning winning affair versus King College. Verts also had a 3-1 record with a 2.90 ERA in 40.1 innings on the mound.

Designated hitter Robbins is in his first year with the team and has done nothing less than lead not only the AAC but the NAIA with a .510 batting average (53 of 104). His slugging percentage stands first in the league and second nationally at .990. The sophomore is tops for the Cavs with 10 home runs and three triples while second with 14 two-baggers and 35 rbi. Brad had a 12-game hit streak where he batted .684 with 26 hits in 38 at bats as well as hitting in 14 of 15 total games in the stretch. The Big Stone Gap, VA native posted 16 multi-hit games in 33 contests. He hit two home runs and drove in five runs in a game against Pikeville, went four for four with four rbi versus Bluefield and belted a game-winning two-run homer to beat Union College. Robbins holds a 3-3 mark with a 4.82 ERA over 37.1 innings as a pitcher.

Junior pitcher David Jones (Amelia, VA) moves from the honorable mention team to the second team this season. Jones has been the top pitcher for the Cavs with an 8-5 record, 75 strikeouts and a 2.41 ERA over 71.0 innings on the hill. He also ranks tops on the team with 15 appearances, 12 games started, seven complete games and third with a .234 opponents’ batting average. He fanned 11 batters at King earlier in the season and has 11 appearances where he allowed one or less earned runs.

Short stop Jorge Laboy makes his second straight appearance on the all-conference second squad. The junior paces the Cavs in runs batted in (39), runs scored (49) and walks (16) while hitting .350 with eight homers. The Woodbridge, VA native has 55 hits, 13 doubles, .586 slugging percentage and 10 stolen bases. Laboy has four hit streaks of at least five games and one eight-game hit streak. He has recorded 13 multi-hit games and had a four-hit contest with a double, homer and four rbi against Montreat.

First baseman John Bigley rounds out the quintet of honorees. The junior has had a breakout season at the plate while being solid in the field as well. The Woodbridge, VA product rates second in hitting .431 among the UVA-Wise players while third in slugging percentage (.651). Bigley had scored 33 times, lined 47hits, 12 doubles and four home runs with 27 rbi. He has one 10-game hit streak and 14 multi-hit outings including two times recording four hits. The third-year player has also been the squad’s top reliever with a 2-0 record, one save and a 2.08 ERA over 21.2 innings of work.