Georgia baseball received good news on Monday as two of its players earned All-American status.
Georgia baseball players Aaron Schunk and Emerson Hancock found out on Monday that they have been named to Baseball America’s All-American list on Monday.
According to Georgiadogs.com, Schunk earned First Team All-America honors for being a utility player. He was the Bulldogs closer this season and also did an exceptional job at third base as well.
As for Hancock, he earned Second-Team All-America honors.
This honor for both Hancock and Schunk are just the start to the already stacked list of accolades they’ve received this season.
According to Georgiadogs.com Hancock is on the 24-man USA Baseball Collegiate National Team summer roster. He was a semi-finalist for the Golden Spikes Award and Dick Howser Trophy as well. Hancock is also on Collegiate Baseball’s All-American second-team.
This season Hancock had an 8-3 record in 2019. He had a 1.99 ERA in 14 starts as only a sophomore. Hancock pitched 90.1 innings this season and recorded 97 strikeouts and 18 walks. He held opponents to a .185 batting average as well.
According to Georgiadogs.com, his ERA was the eighth best in Georgia history and the lowest by a starter since 1977.
Hancock proved all season long that he will go down as one of the best pitchers to come through Georgia. I’m surprised he didn’t earn a First-Team honor, but at the same time, there are a ton of talented pitchers that are older and have a little more under their belts.
However, this award is well-deserving to him. He did a fantastic job all season, fought off an injury, and held the mound like he was a senior. It’ll only get more impressive for him as he will be one of the veteran starters for the 2020 Bulldog team.
Schunk is a finalist for the John Olerud Award and will find out later this month if he wins it. The award is for the best two-way player and is presented by the College Baseball Foundation.
He became the first Georgia baseball player to earn the “Triple Crown,” according to Georgiadogs.com. The triple crown means he led the team in batting average, home runs, and RBIs.
Schunk had a .339 batting average, 15 home runs and 58 RBIs on the season. He also posted 12 saves with a 1-2 record and a 2.49 ERA in 17 appearances.
2019 was his last season, and over the past four years, Schunk had 153 starts with a .312 batting average. He hit 30 doubles, 19 home runs, and 114 RBIs. Schunk also had 20 saves in his career, a 3-4 overall record and a 2.79 ERA in 38 relief outings.
If all that wasn’t impressive enough, he was also drafted by the Colorado Rockies in the second round as the 62nd overall pick in the MLB Draft.
Schunk is one of those players you cannot help but enjoy watching. He gave his all to the school he loved and has already earned the ‘damn good Dawg’ title in my book. Schunk was pivotal for Georgia’s success and was the heart and soul of the defense.
Without these two players, the Bulldogs wouldn’t have had the success they did this season.
Schunk’s First-Team All-America status is so deserving and an honor for him. It’s an honor for both him and Hancock. Georgia baseball had one of its best seasons in years, and the team seems to be on track more with guys like this on it.
The senior leaves his legacy and passes it on to the next third-baseman, but now it’s up to Hancock to keep the success alive. He will be the veteran upper-classman next year, and it’ll be his team.
Everyone should have Georgia baseball circled for the 2020 season because the Dawgs are coming and led by this arsenal of talent on the mound.
Watch out 2020; the Dawgs aren’t going anywhere.