USCB outfielder named NAIA All-America honorable mention

Record-setting outfielder Thomas Estopare became just the second USC Beaufort baseball player to earn NAIA All-America recognition, selected for honorable mention status Thursday in balloting by the association’s coaches.

Estopare, a junior from Imperial, Mo., rewrote school records with 88 hits and 75 runs scored as the Sand Sharks won 44 games and rolled to the Sun Conference regular-season title. He also set new USCB standards with 23 doubles, 142 total bases and a .534 on-base percentage, finishing second in the league’s Player of the Year voting.

Estopare joins pitcher Michael Heesch (2012 second team) as the only Sand Sharks to earn All-America recognition. Teams are selected by the NAIA Baseball Coaches Association All-America Committee.

Three other Sun Conference players were named to the All-America roster, with Keiser slugger Keivan Berges named to the first team. Southeastern first baseman Chris Mattison and Keiser pitcher Steven Bruce were second-team selections.

This story was originally published June 10, 2016 at 12:02 AM with the headline "USCB outfielder named NAIA All-America honorable mention."