Georgiades and Vasquez Lay Claim to Preseason All-Southland Conference Honors
2/5/2019 2:00:00 PM | Baseball
Georgiades named to Preseason All-Southland First Team, Vasquez listed as Preseason All-Southland Second Team choice
Complete Southland Conference Release | 2019 SFA Baseball Season Tickets
FRISCO, Texas - Tuesday afternoon the Southland Conference unveiled its 2019 Preseason All-Conference Baseball teams and among the 26 student-athletes on the list were a pair of SFA seniors.
Third baseman Jake Georgiades earned a spot on the Preseason All-Southland Conference First Team while shortstop Manny Vasquez saw his name listed on the Preseason All-Southland Conference Second Team.
Though he did not start the 2018 season as the 'Jacks' go-to third baseman, it didn't take long for Georgiades to become just that. The College Station, Texas, product started his days as an NCAA Division I player by playing in 49 of SFA's 53 games and cracked the starting lineup in 41 of them.
By the time the season was in the books, Georgiades had produced a slash line of .333/.423/.395 and finished the campaign as the team leader in both batting average and on-base percentage. Georgiades ranked second on the squad in both hits (54) and walks drawn (27) and his 23 RBI made him one of eight 'Jacks who drove in 20 or more runs on the year.
In Southland play, Georgiades' batting average of .353 was the 10th-highest in the 13-team league while his 42 hits were the ninth-most among all players in the conference. In all, Georgiades produced 14 multi-hit games while finishing with a fielding percentage of .954. For his efforts, Georgiades earned an All-Southland Conference Third Team selection at the conclusion of the 2018 season.
Like Georgiades, Vasquez was a newcomer to SFA's program in 2018. The Naco, Ariz., product stepped in immediately as the team's shortstop and started 50 of the 53 games he took part in. Providing a stabilizing role at both the plate an in the middle infield, Vasquez batted .285/.367/.424 while finishing one hit shy of 50.
Vasquez connected for 14 extra-base hits which included five home runs. That long ball total represented the second-highest tally on the team and last season Vasquez struck out just 19 times - the lowest total by an SFA regular. Vasquez also drove in 23 runs and scored 27 more. In the field, he finished the year with a fielding percentage of .962 and helped turn 26 doubles plays.
Georgiades, Vasquez and the rest of the SFA baseball team will begin the 2019 campaign at Jaycees Field in Nacogdoches, Texas, on Friday, Feb. 15. At 6:30 p.m. that night, the 'Jacks face off against Arkansas State in the season opener for both squads. That showdown with the Red Wolves is the first game of a three-game set between the two clubs.
Season tickets for SFA baseball are now available for purchase at SFATickets.com. Single-game tickets will soon be available, too, at the same site. For all news and information regarding SFA baseball visit SFAJacks.com and follow the 'Jacks on Facebook (SFA Athletics), Twitter (@SFA_Baseball) and Instagram (@SFA_Athletics).
2019 Preseason All-Southland Conference Baseball Teams
First Team
Tyler Smith | Central Arkansas | 1B | Sr. | Deer Park, Texas
Kyle Bergeron | Incarnate Word | 2B | Jr. | Bridge City, Texas
Jake Georgiades | SFA | 3B | Sr. | College Station, Texas
Ethan Valdez | Nicholls | SS | Sr. | San Antonio, Texas
Beau Bratton | New Orleans | C | Jr. | Biloxi, Miss.
Dalon Farkas | Abilene Christian | DH | Sr. | Milton, Ga.
Eddy Gonzalez | Incarnate Word | OF | Sr. | Laredo, Texas
Itchy Burts | Texas A&M-Corpus Christi | OF | Jr. | League City, Texas
Hunter Hearn | Sam Houston State | OF | Sr. | Crosby, Texas
Carlisle Koestler | Southeastern Louisiana | P | Sr. | Vicksburg, Miss.
Jerry Maddox | Northwestern State | P | Sr. | Dayton, Texas
Corey Gaconi | Southeastern Louisiana | P | Sr. | Metarie, La.
Cole Coker | Lamar | Util. | Jr. | Huffman, Texas
Second Team
Ryan Flores | Incarnate Word | 1B | So. | Corpus Christi, Texas
Cody Grosse | Southeastern Louisiana | 2B | Sr. | Plainfield, Ill.
Enrique Sanchez, Jr. | Texas A&M-Corpus Christi | 3B | Sr. | Houston, Texas
Manny Vasquez | SFA | SS | Sr. | Naco, Ariz.
Drake Osborn | Texas A&M-Corpus Christi | C | Jr. | Sandia, Texas
J.P. Lagreco | Northwestern State | DH | Sr. | Pearl River, La.
Clayton Harp | Sam Houston State | OF | Sr. | El Campo, Texas
Pearce Howard | New Orleans | OF | So. | Silver Springs, Md.
Shane Selman | McNeese | OF | Sr. | Lake Charles, La.
Ridge Heisler | Northwestern State | P | Sr. | Mangham, La.
Hayden Wesneski | Sam Houston State | P | Jr. | Cypress, Texas
Aidan Anderson | McNeese | P | Sr. | Beaumont, Texas
Derek Scott | Abilene Christian | Util. | Sr. | Abilene, Texas
-SFA-
