May 24, 2011
PARK RIDGE, Ill. - After leading the Nittany Lions to their first postseason appearance since 2008, three members of the Penn State baseball team earned All-Big Ten honors as Sean Deegan was one of two unanimous first-team selections, while Steven Hill garnered second-team nods and John Walter earned third-team accolades for PSU.
With the honor, Deegan becomes just the second outfielder in program history to earn a place on the first-team All-Big Ten squad. Michael Campo was the first to receive the recognition following his performance in 1999 and 2000.
In addition to the three All-Conference selections, Bobby Jacobs was also honored for his work during the season. The senior catcher earned Penn State's Sportsmanship Award for distinguishing himself on and off the field during the 2011 campaign.
Deegan headlines the postseason award-winners after joining Michigan State's Brandon Eckerle as the conference's only unanimous selections. A native of Readington, New Jersey, Deegan has been a staple at the top of Penn State's lineup throughout the season. One of the most dangerous hitters in the Big Ten, he leads the league with 12 home runs, while ranking second with 18 doubles and five triples.
His .638 slugging percentage is also the high mark in the Big Ten, while his 136 total bases lead the way as well. An incredibly well-rounded athlete, Deegan has swiped 14 bases in just 16 attempts and solidified his spot as one of the top defensive outfielders in the conference. While serving as an integral figure at the top of the batting order, he has also scored 53 runs this season, which ranks third in the Big Ten.
During his junior campaign, he has posted at least one hit in 44 of his 51 games, including multiple hits in 21 contests. Deegan started the year with a 13-game hitting streak, and after having it snapped against Norfolk State, he quickly pieced together an 11-game roll. The sweet-swinging centerfielder also clubbed home runs in three straight games from May 7-10 and has clocked seven in Penn State's last 12 contests.
Incredibly, eight of Deegan's 12 home runs this season have given the Nittany Lions the lead, including four leadoff blasts.
While Deegan has done his damage at the plate, Hill has dominated on the mound. Anchoring Penn State's rotation, the sophomore right-hander has posted a stellar 2.20 ERA this season, which is over half-a-run lower than the next best mark in the league. An incredible competitor, he also sits atop the Big Ten with 98.1 innings of work, while ranking eighth with 58 strikeouts.
During the year, Hill has fired four complete games, which equals the total posted by every other Penn State pitcher since the beginning of the 2009 season. His year has been highlighted by a pair of shutouts after he blanked Northwestern, 12-0, on April 9 before firing another gem against Minnesota during a 7-0 victory on May 13. For his efforts against the Golden Gophers, he was named the Big Ten Co-Pitcher of the Week.
In his 14 starts this year, he has posted a 6-4 record, including three wins during conference action. Hill has held his opposition to three or fewer runs during 10 starts and has not allowed an earned run during any of his last three appearances. Incredibly accurate, he has averaged 1.01 walks-per-nine innings, which stands as the 15th best rate in the nation. Overall, he has issued just 11 free passes during the year.
Teaming with Hill to provide Penn State with one of the top 1-2 punches in the Big Ten, Walter has been just as effective during his sophomore season. An imposing right-hander, he has posted a 6-3 record during the year with a 2.94 ERA. Similar to Hill, he has been durable on the mound, firing 79.2 innings, including a complete game effort against Illinois on April 2.
Throughout the year, he has held his opposition to a .234 batting average, which ranks as the lowest mark in the league. He allowed only one hit in three separate outings and has limited his opponents to five or fewer hits during seven contests during the year. Walter has also struck out 57 batters, which stands as the ninth-highest total in the conference.
In Big Ten play, he has limited his opponents to less than three runs during six of his eight outings, including his masterful 3-1 victory against the Illini. During that contest, he scattered seven hits and struck out a career-high nine batters. That was one of six appearances during which he struck out at least five hitters.
Helping to anchor the pitching staff from his position behind the plate, Jacobs has been sensational as the team's starting catcher in 2011. After taking over the position from All-American Ben Heath, he has been a stalwart both offensively and defensively. During the year, he has posted a .282 batting average with 22 RBI and 14 runs scored. He has also gunned down 15 would-be base stealers.
An inspirational leader on the team, Jacobs suffered a frightening facial injury against Northwestern on April 10. Despite the blow, he refused to stay down for long and returned to the diamond less than two weeks after the incident. Since returning, he has posted a .281 batting average and recorded six multi-hit efforts.
During his career, Jacobs has appeared in 109 games with 98 starts. One of only two current players who were on the roster the last time Penn State appeared in the Big Ten Tournament, he has a .289 career average with 54 RBI and 48 runs scored.
The Nittany Lions will open up the Big Ten Tournament on Wednesday at 3:35 p.m. when the squad battles Purdue during an opening round match-up at Huntington Park in Columbus, Ohio.
--PSU--