May 26, 2008

LAFAYETTE, LA - Three Florida Atlantic University baseball players earned all-tournament honors at the 2008 Sun Belt Conference Championship. Senior catcher Alex Silversmith equaled a 30-year tournament record by driving in 12 runs. Senior classmate, reliever Chris Eberhart saved two games- including setting down all 11 batters he faced in an elimination game against top-seeded University of Louisiana-Monroe. Junior second baseman William Block also garnered all-tournament honors, going 7-for-18 (.389 BA) spanning FAU's five post season games in Lafayette.

Florida Atlantic finished the 2008 season 32-27-1. The team responded from dropping a lopsided decision to eventual tournament champion's Western Kentucky University, by winning three straight games to position themselves within one game of claiming the title and qualifying for NCAA Regional play. The post season run will be the last for long-time FAU head coach Kevin Cooney, who announced in April that he will be retiring following the season. Cooney was remarkable in leading FAU to 17 winning seasons in 21 years.

All-Tournament Team
Ben Soignier (ULM, Jr., SS)
Alex Silversmith (Florida Atlantic, Sr., C)
William Block (Florida Atlantic, Jr., 2B)
Chris Eberhart (Florida Atlantic, Sr., P)
Hunter Moody (Louisiana-Lafayette, Sr., P)
Brent Solich (Louisiana-Lafayette, Sr., P)
Scott Hawkins (Louisiana-Lafayette, Jr., DH)
Bryan Cryer (New Orleans, Sr., P)
Josh Vander Hey (New Orleans, Sr., C)
Nick Schwaner (New Orleans, So., 1B)
Chad Cregar (WKU, Jr., DH)
Matt Ridings (WKU, So., P)
Wade Gaynor (WKU, So., 3B)


Tournament MVP: Jake Wells (WKU, So., 1B)