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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Yacko, a junior, set school records and led all of Division III in earned run average (0.57) and saves (15) and was the team’s everyday shortstop as well, batting .344 with 10 home runs and 47 RBI for the Panthers. Yacko was named All-America first team for the second straight year after posting a 6-0 record and striking out 71 batters in 61 innings. Opponents batted just .144 against him this season. Meanwhile, the junior right-hander Kitchens recovered from an early-season shoulder injury to go 9-0 with a 1.10 ERA and three shutouts. Despite being limited to just 5 2/3 innings over the first six weeks, Kitchens finished right behind Yacko for the team lead with 70 strikeouts in 73 1/3 innings and ranked in the top-five in Division III in earned run average. It’s the second ABCA All-America honor for Kitchens, but first time the junior has been named to the first team. Vass becomes the first Panther in 10 years to earn All-America honors as a position player after setting a new school record with 14 home runs. The senior outfielder was named to the third team after leading the team in runs batted in (54), on-base percentage (.457), slugging percentage (.691) and stolen bases (18) and had a .384 batting average. The trio helped Chapman (40-5) to its fourth consecutive West Region championship in 2008, including a school record 20-game winning streak and a sixth place finish at the finals. ---------------------------------- D3Baseball.com also named its second annual All-America team last week. Yacko and Kitchens were each honored for the second time in their careers. Kitchens, who was named to the honorable mention team in 2007, earned first team honors this season. Yacko was named third team All-America as a utility player. |
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