Sowers Earns a Pair of Baseball Preseason All-America Honors 1/2/03

Vanderbilt sophomore left-hander Jeremy Sowers (Louisville, Ky.) has been named a preseason All-American by a pair of baseball publications. Sowers earned second team All-America honors from Baseball America and third team All-America accolades from Louisville Slugger and “Collegiate Baseball” newspaper.

Sowers and Oklahoma sophomore left-hander David Purcey, who also earned second-team honors, were the only two sophomore hurlers to receive recognition from the Baseball America listing that included three All-America teams, honoring 15 pitchers. Sowers and Mississippi State junior left-hander Paul Maholm were the only pitchers from the Southeastern Conference represented.

Sowers was one of nine sophomore pitchers and 63 players overall chosen to the three teams selected by Louisville Slugger and Collegiate Baseball. Sowers, Maholm and LSU senior right-hander Jake Tompkins were the three SEC pitchers honored.

Last year, Sowers was one of 19 starting pitchers nationwide to earn Freshman All-America honors from Louisville Slugger and “Collegiate Baseball.” As the Commodores’ top pitcher, Sowers went 6-5 while leading Vanderbilt in wins (six), ERA (4.37), innings pitched (101.0), strikeouts (85) and pickoffs (12). His 85 strikeouts tied for sixth-most by SEC pitchers and first among all freshmen hurlers in the league. His strikeout total also ranked third all-time among freshmen pitchers at Vanderbilt. His 101.0 innings pitched set a Vanderbilt record for freshmen pitchers.

BASEBALL AMERICA
2003 PRESEASON ALL-AMERICA TEAMS
As selected by major league scouting directors

FIRST TEAM
C — Landon Powell, South Carolina
1B — Wes Whisler, UCLA
2B — Rickie Weeks, Southern
3B — Conor Jackson, California
SS — Stephen Drew, Florida State
OF — Michael Aubrey, Tulane
OF — Anthony Gwynn, San Diego State
OF — Carlos Quentin, Stanford
DH — Matt Murton, Georgia Tech
RHP — David Aardsma, Rice
LHP — Kyle Bakker, Georgia Tech
RHP — Kyle Sleeth, Wake Forest
RHP — Tim Stauffer, Richmond
RHP — Brad Sullivan, Houston

SECOND TEAM
C — Tony Richie, Florida State
1B — Michael Johnson, Clemson
2B — Eric Patterson, Georgia Tech
3B — Lee Mitchell, Georgia
SS — Aaron Hill, Louisiana State
OF — Michael Bourn, Houston
OF — Ben Harrison, Florida
OF — Jeremy Slayden, Georgia Tech
DH — Shane Costa, Cal State Fullerton
RHP — Chad Cordero, Cal State Fullerton
RHP — Wes Littleton, Cal State Fullerton
LHP — Paul Maholm, Mississippi State
LHP — David Purcey, Oklahoma
LHP — Jeremy Sowers, Vanderbilt

THIRD TEAM
C — Javi Herrera, Tennessee
1B — Vince Sinisi, Rice
2B — Tim Moss, Texas
3B — Jamie D’Antona, Wake Forest
SS — Matt Macri, Notre Dame
OF — Rod Allen, Arizona State
OF — Sam Fuld, Stanford
OF — Javon Moran, Auburn
DH — Chad Corona, San Diego State
RHP — Scott Baker, Oklahoma State
RHP — Matt Brown, California
RHP — Chris Ray, William & Mary
RHP — Anthony Reyes, Southern California
RHP — Bob Zimmermann, SW Missouri State

Louisville Slugger/Collegiate Baseball
2003 Preaseason All-America Teams
As selected by Collegiate Baseball newspaper

FIRST TEAM
RHP — Justin Simmons, Texas
RHP — Brad Sullivan, Houston
RHP — Tim Stauffer, Richmond
RHP — Kyle Sleeth, Wake Forest
LHP — Kyle Bakker, Georgia Tech
RHP — Steven Herce, Rice
Relief — Huston Street, Texas
C — Landon Powell, South Carolina
C — Tony Richie, Florida St.
1B — Vincent Sinisi, Rice
2B — Rickie Weeks, Southern
3B — Antoin Gray, Southern
SS Stephen Drew, Florida St.
OF — Ryan Goleski, Eastern Michigan
OF — Vito Chiaravalloti, Richmond
OF — Ryan McGraw, Coastal Carolina
UT — Michael Aubrey, Tulane

SECOND TEAM
RHP — Derek DeCarlo, Florida International
LHP — Abe Alvarez, Long Beach St.
RHP — Bobby Sawicki, S.W. Texas St.
LHP — Matt Lynch, Florida St.
RHP — Philip Humber, Rice
RHP — Justin Verlander, Old Dominion
Relief — Chad Cordero, Cal. St. Fullerton
C — Chris Westervelt, Stetson
C — Ryan Garko, Stanford
1B — Michael Johnson, Clemson
2B — Tim Moss, Texas
2B — Eric Patterson, Georgia Tech.
3B — Jamie D'Antona, Wake Forest
SS — David Reaver, Richmond
OF — Dustin Majewski, Texas
OF — Matt Murton, Georgia Tech.
OF — Jeff Leise, Nebraska
UT — Wes Whisler, UCLA

THIRD TEAM
LHP — Jeremy Sowers, Vanderbilt
RHP — Ryan Schroyer, Arizona St.
RHP — Jake Tompkins, Louisiana St.
RHP — Grant Johnson, Notre Dame
RHP — Jeff Watchko, Georgia Tech.
RHP — Wes Littleton, Cal. St. Fullerton
LHP — Paul Maholm, Mississippi St.
RHP — Matt Durkin, San Jose St.
RHP — Scooter Michael, N.C. Greensboro
RHP — Jered Weaver, Long Beach St.
LHP — Scott Lewis, Ohio St.
Relief — Daniel Hodges, Florida St.
Relief — James Russell, Villanova
Relief — David Aardsma, Rice
Relief — George Huguet, Miami (Fla.)
C — Jeremy West, Arizona St.
C — David Castillo, Oral Roberts
C — Brady Burrill, Michigan St.
1B — Kelly Hunt, Bowling Green St.
1B — Bryan Zenchyk, Stetson
1B — Eddie Kim, James Madison
1B — Joey Metropoulos, Southern California
2B — Eric Patterson, Georgia Tech.
3B — Darryl Lawhorn, East Carolina
3B — Conor Jackson, California
3B — Lee Curtis, Coll. of Charleston
3B — Aaron Hill, Louisiana St.
3B — Brian Snyder, Stetson
3B — Kevin Matuszek, Morehead St.
SS — Brian Bixler, Eastern Michigan
SS — Anthony Lunetta, Southern California
OF — Shane Costa, Cal. St. Fullerton
OF — Jeff Barry, Vermont
OF — Sam Fuld, Stanford
OF — Terry Trofholz, Texas Christian
OF — Cary Page, Morehead St.