June 9, 2008

Four Conference USA baseball players have been named to the inaugural Pro-Line Athletic National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association Freshman All-American team, the organization announced on Monday. East Carolina starting pitcher Seth Maness, Houston relief pitcher Chase Dempsay and Tulane third baseman Rob Segedin were named to the Freshman All-America first team, while Rice shortstop Rick Hague was listed on the second team.

The three first team selections tied Conference USA with the ACC and SEC for most first team honorees. C-USA's four total selections on the two teams trailed only the ACC, which produced nine members of the first and second teams.

Maness, the 2008 Conference USA Freshman of the Year, headlines the group. Also a first team Conference USA selection, Maness tied for the league lead in victories. He was 9-2 with a 3.57 ERA and 81 strikeouts with just 20 walks in 98.1 innings pitched. Maness is just the second freshmen in ECU history to win nine games.

Dempsay emerged as one of the top rookie relievers in the nation this season and earned a spot on the mid-season watch list for the NCBWA Stopper of the Year award. He set a UH freshman record with 11 saves, becoming only the fourth player in UH history to record 10+ saves in a single season, joining Ryan Wagner (16 in 2003), Justin Vaclavik (12 in 2005) and Jesse Crain (10 in 2002). Dempsay also tied for the team lead in victories with eight, while posting a 2.53 ERA in 33 appearances.

Segedin is emerging as the latest in a long line of two-way stars at Tulane. The C-USA All-Freshman team selection led the Green Wave in batting (.322) and doubles (18) while hitting six homers and driving in 59 runs. On the mound, Segedin had a win and five saves in 14 appearances, striking out 21 and walking only four in 19.1 innings pitched.

Hague earned a place on the C-USA All-Freshman team after a great debut season for the CWS-bound Owls. He ranks third on the Owls in batting at .347, while hitting 19 doubles and driving in 52 runs (third on the team). Hague has posted 78 hits, including eight home runs and two triples.