Baseball

Mark Putney

ESPN The Magazine/ CoSIDA Academic All-District Baseball Teams

NEWBERG, Ore. – Showing that he is as sharp in the classroom as he is on the mound, George Fox University starting pitcher Mark Putney has been named to the ESPN The Magazine / CoSIDA Academic All-District VIII College Division Baseball Team as voted on by members of the College Sports Information Directors of America in District VIII.

Putney, a sophomore right-hander from Kodiak, Alaska, has compiled a grade point average of 3.92 while majoring in history.  On the diamond, he has a 6-1 record with one save, a 2.77 earned run average, and 42 strikeouts with only 12 walks in 48.2 innings.  Moving into the rotation early in conference play, he made five starts and threw three complete games, including two shutouts, in his last three starts.  He led the team in complete games and shutouts and tied for wins.  Since giving up seven runs in three innings in first appearance of the season, he has posted a 1.58 ERA.  His ERA ranks third in the conference, and he is third in appearances with 15, fourth in wins and ninth in strikeouts.

Putney’s efforts earned him All-Northwest Conference First Team honors and are one reason why the Bruins went 28-12 this spring, their 13th straight winning season.  George Fox went 24-8 in conference play, finishing one game behind Linfield College, and is in serious contention for an at-large berth in the NCAA Division III National Championship Tournament. 

Other members of the Academic All-District Team are pitcher Nolan Nicholson of the University of Redlands, catcher Dan Colella of Grand Canyon University, infielders Cory Ellis of Linfield, Kyle Redding of Chapman University, Garrett Imeson of the University of California-San Diego, and Will McLoughlin of Menlo College, outfielders Kyle Rizzo of Redlands, Dan Belet of Whitworth University, and Jordan Boustead of Linfield, and designated hitter Stuart Hyman of Chapman.  All are automatically entered onto the ballot for Academic All-America.

District VIII of CoSIDA consists of all sports information directors and college sports media relations personnel from Alaska, British Columbia, Washington, Oregon, California, Hawai’i, Arizona, Nevada, Utah, and Idaho.  This is the fourth year for the CoSIDA Academic All-America teams to be sponsored by ESPN The Magazine.