By Mike Lehman, TTU Sports Information
COOKEVILLE, Tenn. – Tennessee Tech junior designated hitter / outfielder Kevin Strohschein and senior first baseman Chase Chambers were each named All-Americans by Baseball America on Thursday. Both sluggers took home a spot on the All-America Third Team.
The Ohio Valley Conference's Player of the Year, Strohschein leads the nation in both hits (102) and total bases (179). In 57 games this season, the McDonough, Ga. native has hit .406 with 65 runs scored, 17 doubles, three triples, 18 home runs and 65 RBI. He slugged .713 and posted a .463 on base percentage as well during the year.
Early in the season, he tied a Tech program record with three home runs in a single game. Strohschein became the first player in OVC history to record three seasons with at least 60 RBI, three seasons with at least 75 hits and three seasons with at least 55 runs scored. He is also just the fourth player in league history (and second in school history) to record three seasons with at least 14 home runs.
Strohschein has been named a semifinalist for two National Player of the Year awards, including the Golden Spikes Award presented by USA Baseball (1 of 25 players) and the Dick Howser Trophy by the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association (1 of 35 players). He is one of four players in Tech history to be named OVC Player of the Year and just the fourth player in league history to win the honor multiple times. His 102 hits on the year rank as the second most in program history.
Chambers, who earned a place on the All-OVC First Team, ranks second nationally with 76 RBI, tying the Tech program's single-season record. In 57 games, he owns a .400 batting average with 71 runs scored, 92 hits, 11 doubles, 15 home runs, 76 RBI, a .652 slugging percentage, 41 walks to just 24 strikeouts, a .498 on base percentage and a .989 fielding percentage.
Named a semifinalist for the Dick Howser Trophy, he was twice named OVC Player of the Week and finished the regular season as the Tech program's all-time leader in runs scored (currently at 194). He set the program's single-game record with five walks in a contest at Eastern Illinois.
The senior ranks third in OVC history in career RBI (208), and second in program history behind only Zach Stephens (2011-14), who holds the league record of 229. Chambers also ranks ninth in career runs scored in league history, second in program history in home runs and fourth in school history in hits and walks.
2018 BASEBALL AMERICA ALL-AMERICANS
Photos by Thomas Corhern / Tony Marable
