SUWANEE, Ga. -- The All-Region 10 (West) Region team was released by D3Baseball.com on Tuesday, and 17 Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference (SCAC) athletes were recognized, highlighted by pair of major award winners in Region 10 Pitcher of the Year, Otto Franz {pictured left} of Concordia University (Texas) and Rookie of the Year, Will Taylor {pictured right} of Trinity University.
This year marks the 10th consecutive season the SCAC has placed seven or more athletes on the D3Baseball.com All-Region team. The 17 All-Region selections are the most in SCAC history, passing the previous high of 13, set back in 2012. The 17 selections were spread out among six conference institutions. Trinity University and Concordia University (Texas) led the way with five honorees each, followed by McMurry University, University of St. Thomas and Texas Lutheran University with two nods each and Austin College with one student-athlete to earn All-Region honors.
Joining Franz and Taylor on the All-Region 10 First Team were Concordia’s Colby Christian, McMurry’s Michael Smosna and Trinity’s Maddox McDonald.
Franz, a graduate-student and SCAC Pitcher of the Year from Austin, Texas put together an outstanding season in leading the Tornados to their second-straight NCAA Tournament appearance and eighth in program history. He led the SCAC in wins (9), innings pitched (95.2), shutouts (2) and WHIP (1.10). His 95.2 innings pitched are the most in a single SCAC season since 2018 when TLU’s Dylan Drgac tossed 121.1 innings. Franz also finished the season fourth in strikeouts (67) and second in complete games with three. This year marks the second-straight season and third time since 2022 the SCAC has landed the D3Baseball.com Region 10 Pitcher of the Year honors. Franz joins Trinity’s Jackson Teer (2024) and Centenary’s Tyler Herrera (2022) to win the accolade.
Taylor, a first-year relief pitcher from Greenwood Village, Colo., burst onto the scene and made an immediate impact in helping lead Trinity back to the program’s fourth NCAA Div. III College World Series later this week in Eastlake, Ohio. An honorable mention All-SCAC honoree, Taylor enters the CWS with a perfect 7-0 record on the bump with two saves in 15 appearances over 36 innings pitched. He lead Trinity with a 1.14 WHIP, ranks second with a 2.00 ERA and sits fifth with 36 strikeouts despite being seven on the team in innings pitched.
Christian, a power hitting outfield from Porter, Texas, was named First Team All-SCAC earlier this month after producing once of the most productive seasons in recent history. He led the SCAC in RBI (66) and home runs (16), finished second in total bases (126), fourth in doubles (17) and fifth in slugging percentage (.677). His 66 RBI are tied for the 13th most in a single season in SCAC history and is currently eight in all NCAA Division III this season, while his 16 home runs are tied for the third most in a single season in SCAC history and is currently ranked tied for 15th in the country.
Smosna, a junior catcher from Lubbock, Teas, was instrumental in leading McMurry to the program’s fifth NCAA Tournament appearance and first since 2008. A First Team All-SCAC honoree, currently leads the SCAC in hits (79) and total bases (135) and sits second in doubles (18), triples (7) and batting average (.439). His 58 RBI on the year was good enough for fourth in the SCAC, while his eight home runs were ranked eighth in the league.
Rounding out the SCAC D3Baseball.com Region 10 First Team honorees is Trinity’s Maddox McDonald. McDonald will head into this week’s CWS as one of the most consistent plate presences in the league, sitting top five in a number of offensive categories. He is currently second in the league in RBI (61), doubles (18) and plate appearances (236), third in home runs (10), stolen bases (19) and at bats (188).
In addition to the five First Team All-Region selections, the SCAC was represented with seven student-athletes on the Second Team, including the entire infield. Second Team honorees included, Trinity senior catcher Nicholas Lanzzara, St. Thomas senior first baseman Dillion McKee, St. Thomas junior second baseman Alex Trinh, Texas Lutheran junior shortstop Chase Bourgeois and McMurry junior third baseman Riley Hood round out the infield recipients. Joining the infield designees on the Second Team were senior starting pitcher Dakota Palmer of Concordia and Trinity sophomore relief pitcher Brandon Morio. All seven athletes earned All-SCAC honors earlier this month including First Team All-SCAC honors for McKee, Trinh, Bourgeois, Hood, Palmer and Morio.
Rounding out the SCAC All-Region laureates are five student-athletes named to the Third Team. Third Team honorees include, Concordia senior Aaron Gomez (2B), TLU junior Kash Durkin (OF), Trinity senior Brandon Nelson (DH), Austin College sophomore Jack Wilhelm (UTL) and Concordia junior Ralph Wallace III (RP).
To view the entire D3baseball.com All-Region 10 Team, click here.
