Hitting Duo Gains Baseball All-Region Status

May 9, 2007

Josh Verts
Brad Robbins

Kingsport, TN – The two top hitters of the Highland Cavaliers, sophomores outfielder Josh Verts and designated hitter Brad Robbins, gained NAIA All-Region XII status this afternoon. The two UVA-Wise players have been a big part of the team’s first trip to regional play in five years.

The duo have helped the Highland Cavaliers to not only its first NAIA Region XII appearance since 2002 but also 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.