GCSU has four players named to D2CCA All-Region teams

GREENWOOD, S.C. | Four Georgia College & State University baseball players were honored by the Division II Collegiate Commissioners Association on the eve of the 2024 NCAA Division II Southeast Super Regional.

Matthew Mebane, Brandon Bellflower and Gabriel Wuerth were named to the D2CCA All-Southeast Region first team, while John Luke Glanton was named to the second team. The quartet each earned all-region honors last week by the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association.

Mebane, a junior from Dublin, Georgia, stared all 57 games at third base for GCSU. He has batted .322 (75-of-233) and leads the Bobcats with 20 home runs. Mebane, who was named to the All-Peach Belt Conference first team and was named the MVP of the PBC Tournament, also collected 15 doubles and drove in a team-leading 70 RBI, while slugging .644 and an on-base percentage of .409. Mebane also scored 61 runs and stole four bases. He is ranked 12th in NCAA Division II in home runs, 22nd in total bases (150), 25th in home runs per game (0.35) and 43rd in RBI per game (1.25). Mebane leads the PBC in total bases, home runs, and RBI, second in home runs per game and RBI per game (1.15), and seventh in doubles. Mebane was honored as the league's Player of the Week on March 25.

Bellflower, a senior right fielder from Milledgeville, Georgia, started all 54 games. Bellflower, who was named to the All-PBC first team and only the second baseball player in the league to be named to the all-conference team for the fourth time, leads GCSU with a  .374 batting average (83-of-222) with 22 doubles, 10 homers and drove in 43 runs, while scoring 65 runs. He has slugged .608 and has a .489 on-base percentage with six stolen bases. Bellflower is 14th in Division II in doubles, 30th in hits, and 38th in doubles per game (0.39). Bellflower, who was named to the All-PBC Tournament team, leads the PBC in doubles and doubles per game, third in total bases (135), fourth in hits and batting average, and eighth in hits per game (1.48).

Wuerth, a sophomore from Woodstock, Georgia, split the 57 games he started between second base and shortstop this season. Wuerth, who was named to the All-PBC first team, currently is second for the Bobcats in batting average (.362, 88-of-243). He also had 14 doubles. three home runs and drove in 37 runs. Wuerth has slugged .457 and has a .416 on-base percentage to go along with his 11 stolen bases and 54 runs scored. Wuerth is ranked 16th in NCAA Division II statistics in hits and 41st in hits per game (1.54). He is listed No. 1 in the Peach Belt in hits, third in hits per game, and eighth toughest to strikeout (10.1).

Glanton, a sophomore right-handed pitcher from Metter, Georgia, started all 16 of his appearances on the mound. Glanton, who was a first-team All-PBC selection and named to the All-PBC Tournament team, is currently 11-4 on the season with a 2.45 earned-run average with five complete games and two shared shutouts. In 114 innings pitched, Glanton has allowed 102 hits and 31 earned runs, while striking out 63 and walking just 22. Opponents are just hitting .237 against Glanton in 2024. He is fourth in NCAA Division II statistics in games started and wins, fifth in complete games, 14th in ERA, 32nd in walks plus hits per inning (1.09), and 39th in walks allowed per nine innings (1.74).  Glanton tops the league in complete games, games started and wins, second in ERA and WHIP, fourth in walks allowed per nine innings and fifth in hits allowed per nine innings (8.05). Glanton was named the PBC Pitcher of the Week April 29.

The No. 19-ranked Bobcats (37-20) captured the NCAA Division II Southeast Regional No. 2 last weekend as they defeated the University of Mount Olive 4-3 in the final. The Bobcats, who are making their 15th trip to the NCAA Division II Tournament and first since 2018, will travel to Salisbury, North Carolina, Friday (May 24) and Saturday (May 25) where they will face No. 5 Catawba College in a best-of-3 series to determine who will represent the region at the NCAA Division II Baseball National Championship in Cary, North Carolina, June 1-8. First pitch at Newman Park for game one is slated for 6 p.m. Friday (May 24), with game two to start at 3:30 p.m. Saturday (May 25) with an if-necessary game to follow.