NEWPORT NEWS, Va. -- Christopher Newport University junior closer
Joe Burris (Charlottesville, Va.) has been named a second team All-South Region selection by D3baseball.com, becoming just the second reliever in program history to earn the accolade. The Captains' left-handed reliever joins Ryan Fleischmann (2011 & 2013) as the only other CNU pitcher out of the bullpen to earn All-Region honors.
Burris garnered his first career All-Region selection after a sensational campaign out of the bullpen, going 3-0 with 3 saves in a team-leading 20 appearances. The southpaw registered one of the finest seasons of relief in program history, allowing runs in only two of his team-high 20 appearances. His 1.11 ERA and .143 batting average against are the second best in CNU history among relievers with at least 20 innings of work.
During the season, he struck out 34 batters in 24.1 innings of work. That number would have registered second in the Capital Athletic Conference, but the junior lefty fell just short of the league minimums set at 1.0 inning pitched per game. He also pieced together a run of 13 straight scoreless appearances, lasting 16.0 innings, and did not allow a hit in 11 of his 20 trips to the mound. Following the terrific season, Burris earned first team All-Conference honors for the first time.
Not just a door-slamming closer, Burris logged more than one inning of work in six of his appearances, including a stellar outing against nationally-ranked Salisbury on March 22. Against the Sea Gulls, Burris tossed two innings of shutout relief, holding Salisbury to just one hit with a pair of strikeouts, en route to the win in extra innings.
After his terrific third year, Burris has become a lockdown option at the back end of the bullpen for head coach
John Harvell. Over the last two seasons, Burris is 6-0 with 3 saves and a 2.47 ERA in 39 appearances, while pitching 54.2 innings and striking out 67 batters in that stretch.
The 2017 season marks the sixth year that D3baseball.com has named All-Region teams, with 800 players nominated. The American Baseball Coaches Association (ABCA) also names All-Region teams, which will be released later.
2017 D3baseball.com All-South Region
Players were nominated for these awards by the Sports Information Directors at the various schools.
Player of the Year: Pete Grasso, UT, Sr., Salisbury
Pitcher of the Year: Billy Dimlow, SP, So., Emory
Rookie of the Year: Brad Pennington, 2B, North Carolina Wesleyan
Coach of the Year: David Kelton, LaGrange
| First team |
| Pos. |
Name |
Team |
Yr. |
Hometown |
| C |
Tom LaBriola |
Salisbury |
Sr. |
Huntingtown, Md. |
| 1B |
Kyle Mathews |
Eastern Mennonite |
Sr. |
Chesapeake, Va. |
| 2B |
Brad Pennington |
North Carolina Wesleyan |
Fr. |
Wilmington, N.C. |
| SS |
Alfred Francis |
Berry |
Sr. |
Conyers, Ga. |
| 3B |
Jack Barry |
Salisbury |
So. |
Laurel, Md. |
| OF |
Justin Erby |
Virginia Wesleyan |
Sr. |
Norfolk, Va. |
| OF |
Trey Mears |
Wesley |
Sr. |
Millsboro, Del. |
| OF |
Cole Migliorini |
Randolph-Macon |
Jr. |
Stafford, Va. |
| DH |
Casey Bell |
LaGrange |
Sr. |
Port Orange, Fla. |
| UT |
Pete Grasso |
Salisbury |
Sr. |
Wilmington, Del. |
| SP |
Billy Dimlow |
Emory |
So. |
Sammamish, Wash. |
| SP |
Ryan Gaines |
Birmingham-Southern |
Sr. |
Dunwoody, Ga. |
| SP |
Stephen Himic |
Birmingham-Southern |
Sr. |
Birmingham, Ala. |
| RP |
Danny Devereux |
Washington & Lee |
So. |
Mount Prospect, Ill. |
| Second team |
| Pos. |
Name |
Team |
Yr. |
Hometown |
| C |
Will Hylton |
Lynchburg |
Sr. |
Fieldale, Va. |
| 1B |
Luke Nussman |
Shenandoah |
So. |
Kingsport, Tenn. |
| 2B |
Trevor Denton |
Guilford |
Jr. |
Mechanicsville, Va. |
| SS |
Chris Seibert |
Wesley |
Jr. |
Pitman, N.J. |
| 3B |
Blake Butcher |
LaGrange |
Sr. |
Watkinsville, Ga. |
| OF |
Joe Hall |
Eastern Mennonite |
Sr. |
Gladys, Va. |
| OF |
Drew Judson |
Hendrix |
Jr. |
Austin, Texas |
| OF |
Blane Swift |
LaGrange |
Sr. |
Rockmart, Ga. |
| DH |
Jake Loew |
Shenandoah |
Sr. |
Binghamton, N.Y. |
| UT |
Rich Misischia |
Birmingham-Southern |
So. |
Dothan, Ala. |
| SP |
Ryan Broaderick |
LaGrange |
Jr. |
Seminole, Fla. |
| SP |
Colin Morse |
Shenandoah |
Jr. |
Vienna, Va. |
| SP |
Jeff Oster |
Salisbury |
Sr. |
Lake Hopatcong, N.J. |
| RP |
Joe Burris |
Christopher Newport |
Jr. |
Charlottesville, Va. |
| Third team |
| Pos. |
Name |
Team |
Yr. |
Hometown |
| C |
Dan Cameron |
Shenandoah |
Sr. |
Livonia, Mich. |
| 1B |
Caleb Bloye |
Covenant |
Jr. |
Dallas, Ga. |
| 2B |
Jeff Ronpirin |
Emory |
Sr. |
Lilburn, Ga. |
| SS |
Tavin Thompson |
LaGrange |
Sr. |
Hogansville, Ga. |
| 3B |
Jorge Leon |
Hendrix |
So. |
Mexico City, Mexico |
| OF |
Brady Ballstadt |
Piedmont |
So. |
Suwanee, Ga. |
| OF |
Lane Deaver |
Ferrum |
Sr. |
Yorktown, Va. |
| OF |
Matthew Lillard |
Hendrix |
Jr. |
Dallas, Texas |
| DH |
Tyler Wise |
Birmingham-Southern |
So. |
Birmingham, Ala. |
| UT |
Rick Spiers |
Randolph-Macon |
Jr. |
South Chesterfield, Va. |
| SP |
Hunter Peck |
Ferrum |
So. |
Franklin, Va. |
| SP |
Greg Schneider |
Frostburg State |
Jr. |
Jefferson Hills, Pa. |
| SP |
Andrew Weekly |
LaGrange |
Sr. |
Flowery Branch, Ga. |
| RP |
Jonathan Fleckenstein |
LaGrange |
Sr. |
Sharpsburg, Ga. |
