Three Apprentice School baseball players were named on Thursday to the 2013 Capital One Academic All-District team as selected by the College Sports Information Directors of America. Sophomore Sam Massie along with juniors Chris Perry and Zach Harding were named to the first team Academic All-District and are now up for consideration to the Capital One Academic All-American team to be announced in late May.
The teams are divided into eight districts and are separated by NCAA Division I, II , III and College Division which includes NAIA schools, two-year schools and independents. To be recognized you must have had at least a 3.3 grade point average and be a key contributor to their team. Schools from Maine to North Carolina are included in College Division District One.
Harding is now a two-time first team Academic All-District selection after earning the honor last year. The Spotsylvania, Va. native has had eight multi-hit and five multi-RBI games this year and currently has a .296 batting average. An electrician apprentice, Harding has reached base in 10 straight games and has caught in 33 of 40 games. He had three hits against NCAA Division III nationally-ranked Bridgewater College and has driven in three runs on three occasions.
Massie leads the team in saves with four and has been among the leaders in earned run average (1.86) along with his four saves. An electrician apprentice from Hampton, Va., he struck out five in 3.1 innings against NCAA Division III Bridgewater State in a win. He has struck out four on three occasions while sporting a 4-2 record with a 1.86 earned run average. Massie was a first team USCAA All-American last season.
Perry has thrown 33.1 innings this year and currently has a 5-1 record with a 2.16 earned run average. A Chesapeake, Va. native and patternmaker apprentice, he struck out a career-high eight against Fulton-Montgomery and threw two innings of relief to get a win against Virginia Wesleyan College. He is tenth in earned run average in the USCAA and tied for 12th in wins . Perry had a combined two-hit shutout this year against Penn State Hazleton.
With the three honorees today, the baseball team has had 10 players recognized by CoSIDA since 2004.