D3BASEBALL ALL-REGION WINNERS
Lexington, Ky. – Three members of the Transylvania baseball team have been selected to the D3Baseball.com's All-Region Team, the publication announced Tuesday.
Senior second baseman Hudson Chastain was named to the Second Team for the All-Mideast Region while senior pitcher Jake Schmidt and freshman outfielder/pitcher Trent Youngblood were each selected to the All-Mideast Region Third Team for the 2021 season.
The trio led the Transylvania baseball team to its greatest season in program history as the Pioneers won a program-record 32 games while sweeping the Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference regular season and tournament titles for the first time in the 26-year history of the restarted Transylvania baseball program.
The Pioneers capped off their season by earning the program's first-ever NCAA Tournament win this past Friday in an 11-6 win over Illinois College.
Chastain, a senior from Knoxville, Tennessee (Christian Academy of Knoxville), completed an illustrious season and career for the Pioneers with a program record 84 hits this season. Over 44 total games, Chastain corralled 84 hits, ranking second in the nation in that category. The senior had a .438 batting average, ranking 35th in the country and leading the Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference in batting average.
Among active players in the 2021 season, Chastain now ranks 12th overall in career hits. Chastain was also named to the All-HCAC First Team and won HCAC Tournament Most Outstanding Player honors after leading the Pioneers to their first conference tournament championship in 13 seasons.
Schmidt, a senior from Dublin, Ohio (Dublin Scioto HS), recorded an 8-0 record against HCAC competition this season. In 14 appearances and 12 starts, Schmidt tallied 93 strikeouts, which ranks ninth in the country in that category. Schmidt led the Pioneers in innings pitched with 75.1 innings of work and set a new career-high for innings pitched in the NCAA Tournament opener against Webster last Thursday. Schmidt went eight innings and struck out five and allowed three hits to the number three team in the nation in a 4-1 loss. It was just the second time the Pioneers had lost a game this season in which Schmidt made an appearance.
Schmidt set a career-high in strikeouts with 11 against Hanover on April 2 in an 8-5 win over the Panthers. Schmidt had 11 strikeouts against three walks in a seven-inning appearance. At season's end, Schmidt was named the HCAC Pitcher of the Year.
Youngblood, a freshman from Louisville, Kentucky (Trinity HS), had a breakout season against which all others will be judged, tallying 76 hits in his first season of college baseball. The 76 hits are the second-most in a season by a Pioneer, trailing only Chastain's hits total this season. Youngblood led the team in stolen bases with 17, and was second on the team in both batting average (.422) and OPS (1.076).
The HCAC Newcomer of the Year, Youngblood had six hits in his three NCAA Tournament games, including a 4 for 5 game at the plate with six RBI, two triples, and two runs in Transylvania's inaugural tournament victory over Illinois College. Youngblood finished the season tied for seventh in the country in total hits and had the second-most hits of any freshman in the nation. Youngblood also joined Schmidt and Chastain on the All-HCAC First Team for 2021. Youngblood made eight appearances on the mound this season for Transylvania, compiling three wins in 18.2 innings of work while striking out 24 batters.
Under fifth-year head coach Zack Getsee, the trio spurred the Pioneers to one of the best offenses in the country, ranking fourth nationally in total hits (544) and 16th overall in batting average (.341), and 20th in scoring (9.4 runs per game) on the way to setting a new program-best win total.
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