Walker Only Gamecock On All-SEC First Team

COLUMBIA, S.C. (USC SID) — South Carolina senior pitcher Michael Roth was named SEC Baseball Scholar-Athlete of the Year, and junior first baseman Christian Walker earned first-team All-SEC honors, as the league announced its annual baseball honors on Tuesday. A total of seven Gamecocks received recognition. Junior relief pitcher Matt Price was a second team All-SEC selection, while outfielder Tanner English, shortstop Joey Pankake and catcher Grayson Greiner made the All-Freshman Team. Roth and junior outfielder Evan Marzilli also garnered All-Defensive Team accolades. Roth adds to his already lengthy list of honors for his efforts on the field and in the classroom, as he is also the 2012 SEC H. Boyd McWhorter Male Scholar-Athlete of the Year, one of 10 finalists for the Lowe’s Senior CLASS Award and is on the Golden Spikes Award watch list. A native of Greer, S.C., Roth made 15 starts for the Gamecocks this season and has compiled a 6-1 record, posting a 2.58 ERA and 75 strikeouts. Walker, who is also on the Golden Spikes Award Watch List, leads the team in hitting for the second-straight year with a .328 batting average and 65 hits. He leads the team and ranks third in the conference in RBIs (51), on-base percentage (.456) and walks (41). He is also sixth in the SEC in slugging percentage (.551) and seventh in home runs (10). This marks the third-consecutive season Walker has earned All-SEC accolades, as he was named to the second team and earned All-Defensive honors last season and was an All-Freshman Team selection in 2010. Price becomes a three-time All-SEC honoree as he was a first-team selection last season and garnered second-team honors in 2010. The Sumter, S.C., native was one of the best relief pitchers in the nation, recording 10 saves in 22 appearances, which ranks second in the SEC. He owns a 4-4 record with a 3.68 ERA and 74 strikeouts. Price is tied for the conference lead in fewest hits allowed (45) and fewest home runs allowed (one) and ranks second with an opponent’s batting average of .198. English, Pankake and Greiner have all turned in stellar freshman campaigns for the Gamecocks. English is second on the team in batting average (.309) and is tied for second with 63 hits. He has also been on of the best in Garnet and Black on the bases, ranking second on the squad with nine stolen bases in 11 attempts. LSU’s Raph Rhymes claimed SEC Player of the Year accolades, while Mississippi State’s Chris Stratton took the Pitcher of the Year honor. Kentucky’s Austin Cousino and Gary Henderson garnered the Freshman of the Year and Coach of the Year awards, respectively. Coaches were not permitted to vote for their own players. 2012 SEC Baseball Awards SEC Player of the Year – Raph Rhymes, LSU SEC Pitcher of the Year – Chris Stratton, Mississippi State SEC Freshman of the Year – Austin Cousino, Kentucky SEC Scholar-Athlete of the Year – Michael Roth, South Carolina SEC Coach of the Year – Gary Henderson, Kentucky First Team 1B – Christian Walker, South Carolina 2B – Alex Yarbrough, Mississippi 3B – Matt Reynolds, Arkansas SS – Anthony Gomez, Vanderbilt C – Mike Zunino, Florida OF – Raph Rhymes, LSU OF – Preston Tucker, Florida OF – Taylor Dugas, Alabama DH/UTL – Brian Johnson, Florida P – Chris Stratton, Mississippi State P – Kevin Gausman, LSU RP – Steven Rodriguez, Florida Second Team 1B – Matt Snyder, Mississippi 2B – Bo Bigham, Arkansas 3B – Curt Powell, Georgia SS – Nolan Fontana, Florida C – Luke Maile, Kentucky OF – Austin Cousino, Kentucky OF – Ryan Tella, Auburn OF – Mason Katz, LSU DH – Drew Steckenrider, Tennessee P – Alex Wood, Georgia P – Corey Littrell, Kentucky P – Bobby Wahl, Mississippi RP – Matt Price, South Carolina All-Freshman Team 1B – A.J. Reed, Kentucky 2B – Will Maddox, Tennessee 3B – Josh Tobias, Florida SS – Joey Pankake, South Carolina C – Grayson Greiner, South Carolina OF – Austin Cousino, Kentucky OF – Tanner English, South Carolina OF – Hunter Cole, Georgia OF – Ben Moore, Alabama DH/UTL – A.J. Reed, Kentucky P – Aaron Nola, LSU P – Tyler Beede, Vanderbilt RP – Jonathan Holder, Mississippi State All-Defensive Team P – Ryan Eades, LSU P – Kendall Graveman, Mississippi State P – Michael Roth, South Carolina 1B -Dominic Ficociello, Arkansas 2B – Alex Yarbrough, Mississippi SS – Nolan Fontana, Florida 3B – Matt Reynolds, Arkansas C – Mike Zunino, Florida OF – Evan Marzilli, South Carolina OF – Taylor Dugas, Alabama OF – Austin Cousino, Kentucky