CONWAY, Ark. _ A stellar inaugural season by University of Central Arkansas outfielder Jonathan Davis earned him the Southland Conference Freshman of the Year award on Monday.
Davis was also named to the All-Southland Conference second team, while junior pitcher Dustin Ward was a third-team selection.
Davis, a true freshman from Camden Fairview, led the Bears in batting average (.350), slugging percentage (.522), on-base percentage (.441), runs scored (43), stolen bases (21) and tied for the lead in home runs (5). Davis had a team-high 11-game hitting streak this season and had 14 multi-hit games and nine multi-RBI games.
“We knew that the athleticism was there,' said Gum. "And we knew he was a difference maker, No. 1 as a person, and that showed up on the field this year. He has the talent, but more than anything, his work ethic is strong, he's smart and he works at it.
"The best thing about him is he's a balanced player. He can beat you in a lot of different ways. With the glove, he can get extra-base hits, hit some home runs, and then if you walk him, he steals bases. He's just a dynamic player, a difference maker. I think when I recruited him, I knew he was, he knew he was, I just don't think anyone else knew he was.
"He's just an outstanding young man and he's a guy we're going to build things around.'
Davis started 41 games for the Bears as a freshman, the majority of those in center field. He had season highs of four hits against Texas State on April 9 and three RBI against Texas State on April 10. Davis earned SLC Hitter of the Week honors on April 11 following the Texas State series.
Davis is UCA’s first baseball player to win one of the league’s individual postseason awards.
Ward led the Bears with eight victories and had the team’s second-best earned-run average at 4.46. He struck out 71 batters in 82.2 innings and pitched three complete games. Ward was a two-time SLC Pitcher of the Week. He struck out a career-high 13 in a complete-game victory over Nicholls State on April 16 and finished 6-2 in nine Southland Conference starts.
“Dustin just kept getting a little bit better every day this season,' said Gum. "Things starting clicking for him and by the end of the year, I thought he was probably one of the top two or three pitchers in the league. He bought into what we were doing, he never stopped working and it paid off for him.'
Bryson Myles of Stephen F. Austin was the Player of the Year, Hitter of the Year and Newcomer of the Year. Carson Smith of Texas State was the Pitcher of the Year, while Jordan Legros of McNeese State was the Relief Pitcher of the Year. Texas State Coach Ty Harrington was the Coach of the Year.
