SFA's Dozier, ORU's Bowen Named Preseason All-Americans
IRVING, Texas – Stephen F. Austin junior shortstop Hunter Dozier and Oral Roberts senior pitcher Drew Bowen were named to the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association All-American teams announced earlier in the week. Dozier earned first-team honors while Bowen was named to the third team and were the only two Southland Conference players represented on the three teams.
Dozier is the first Lumberjack in program history to earn preseason All-America honors from the NCBWA with former Lumberjacks Steven Hill and Bryson Myles each having previously earned postseason nods from the association.
The junior from Denton was a first team all-conference choice as a sophomore and led SFA in nearly every offensive category a year ago, hitting .357 with 10 home runs, 37 RBI and also led the league with a school-record 22 doubles while being one of just two on the roster to start and play in all 59 games on the year.
His .595 slugging percentage was second in the league only to Texas-Arlington’s Preston Beck - a 5th-round draft pick of the Texas Rangers - while also being one of just four players in the Southland to hit at least 10 home runs on the season.
That came on the heels of a freshman season in 2010 in which he hit .315 with 34 RBI and 13 doubles in 50 starts. He enters his junior season needing just one more two-bagger to tie the school doubles record for his career and nine RBI to break into the school's top 10 in that category.
Bowen, a right hander from Tulsa, Okla., finished the 2012 season with a 7-2. He had an outstanding 1.95 earned run average in 87.2 innings on the mound, striking out 68 batters and allowed just 21 free passes to opposing batters.
Bowen was a Summit League All-Conference selection for the second consecutive year last season with a first team honor. He was also the 2012 Summit League pitcher of the year and the tournament's most valuable player, going 1-0 in 10.1 scoreless innings.
For a complete list of the preseason teams, click here.