Posted: May 02, 2023
FORT MYERS, Fla.- AJ Shaver was named the Southern Conference Player of the Year and Lucas Hartman was named the league's Fireman of the Year, leading eight Florida SouthWestern State Buccaneers on the Southern Conference All-Conference Team released on Tuesday.
AJ Shaver becomes the first FSW player in program history to be named the Conference Player of the Year. He put up video game numbers during conference play, leading the league in all three Triple Crown categories with a .427 average, 13 home runs, and 30 RBIs in 21 conference contests. The numbers didn't stop there though as he slugged an incredible 1.022 and scored 29 runs while also going 11 for 12 in stolen base attempts.
Equally as impressive on the mound was righthander Lucas Hartman who earned Fireman of the Year accolades. Hartman was 3-1 with six saves in Southern Conference action, pitching in each of the Bucs first 10 league wins this season. He allowed just one earned run in 30 innings of work, good for a microscopic 0.30 ERA. It is the third straight season FSW has had their conference's Fireman of the Year as Hartman joins Los Angeles Dodgers farmhand Antonio Knowles and Brian Holiday in the program's record books.
A pair of sluggers joined Shaver and Hartman on the 1st Team as catcher Anthony Westbrook and first baseman Derek Williams also earned the honors. Westbrook hit .308 with five doubles and four home runs in conference action while also showing his value defensively, throwing out nine opposing baserunners behind the plate. Williams teammed with Shaver to create a dynamic duo in the middle of the Bucs order, blasting eight home runs and driving in 23 in 21 conference contests.
Four more FSW Buccaneers were named 2nd Team All-Conference picks.
Left handed sluggers Joel Gardner and Nate Earley both took home 2nd Team honors. Gardner hit .296 with three doubles and 10 RBIs in conference action while Earley hit .288 and also smacked three doubles and drove in 10.
Speedster Sergio Rivera earned 2nd Team honors in the outfield, hitting .253 with four doubles and 15 runs scored in 21 conference contests while swiping eight bases in 10 chances on the basepaths.
The Bucs final 2nd Team selection was righthander Marty Gair who was limited to just four conference appearances, but made his mark felt in those outings. Gair worked 16 innings in league play, allowing just one earned run, good for a 0.56 ERA while striking out 19 and allowing just 10 hits in 16 innings of action.
Another Buc was also honored by the league on Tuesday as centerfielder Albert Serrano was tabbed the Southern Conference Defensive Player of the Year. Serrano was perfect in 51 chances in conference action including a handful of highlight reel plays throughout the course of the year.
The Bucs will be back in action on Friday in Ocala when they go head to head with #3 Central Florida in a best of three series with a trip to the FCSAA State Tournament semifinals on the line. Game one Friday will get underway at 2:30 PM with games two and three (if necessary) Saturday and Sunday scheduled for 1 PM starts.