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EKU's Rodriguez named 3rd team All-American

Posted: 12:48 PM May 31, 2012

TUCSON, Ariz. – Eastern Kentucky University senior baseball player Richie Rodriguez has been named a Louisville Slugger third team All-American by Collegiate Baseball newspaper.

The shortstop from Miami, Fla. batted .377 this season and led EKU in almost every major offensive category, including home runs (14), runs scored (59), hits (80), doubles (18), total bases (146), walks (33), slugging percentage (.689) and on-base percentage (.469). His stellar season led the Colonels to a share of their first Ohio Valley Conference regular season title since 2000.

A three-time All-OVC performer, Rodriguez is a finalist for the 2012 Brooks Wallace Shortstop of the Year Award, which will be presented June 30 in Lubbock, Texas as part of the College Baseball Hall of Fame’s Night of Champions.

Rodriguez started 216 consecutive games at shortstop for EKU, meaning every game of his Colonel career. He finished that decorated career as the all-time leader hits (303), runs (209) and at-bats (865) leader in EKU history.

The durable leadoff man, who hit for the cycle in a May 5 game at UT Martin, was the catalyst of an explosive EKU offense this season that led the country in home runs per game (1.25) and the OVC in slugging percentage (.477), home runs (66), doubles (122) and triples (21). He ranked in the top-30 in the country in slugging percentage, total bases, home runs, runs scored, runs per game (1.09) and home runs per game (0.26). He was also one of the toughest batters in the country to strike out (16.3).

In nearly 1,000 career plate appearances, Rodriguez struck out only 64 times.

Rodriguez was one of only two OVC players represented on the All-American teams, joining Southeast Missouri’s Trenton Moses (who was a second team selection), and he was one of only two players from the state of Kentucky represented on the teams, joining Louisville’s Justin Amlung (who was a third team selection).

Rodriguez is the 21st All-American in EKU baseball history, and the fifth under fourth-year head coach Jason Stein. He was named a Louisville Slugger Freshman All-American by Collegiate Baseball back in 2009.