Blake Jones

Jones highlights six Demons on 2000s All-Decade team

6/13/2013 4:26:00 PM

By: Matthew Fowler, Assistant Sports Information Director
NATCHITOCHES – Six former Northwestern State baseball athletes including the 2005 Southland Conference Player of the Year Blake Jones have been named to the SLC 2000s All-Decade roster the league office announced Thursday as part of its 50th Anniversary commemoration.
 
The list includes 56 players from 12 member institutions during the time period.  Lamar led all conference teams with 10 selections, Texas-Arlington added seven, and McNeese and Sam Houston had six along with NSU.
 
"The new century brought more Southland baseball excellence between 2000 and 2009, with more NCAA berths and plenty of future big leaguers," Southland commissioner Tom Burnett said. "Also, the decade again proved what a historical impact Lamar's Jim Gilligan has made in the Southland, from his playing days in the 1960s to the recent years of coaching excellence."
 
Jones (2003-05) is on the roster with Josh Boop (2003-04), Brad Hanson (2001-02), O. J. King (2001-02), Brandon Morgan (2003-06), and Jordan Robison (2000-01).
 
Jones led the Demons to a Southland Conference championship and a NCAA regional berth and win in Baton Rouge both on the mound and at the plate.  He hit .350 with 48 runs batted in and seven home runs. He also recorded a 7-3 record with a 3.32 earned run average and 57 strikeouts.
 
King was the 2001 newcomer of the year and the 2002 pitcher of the year.  He finished his final season with an 8-4 record and a 2.63 earned run average. 
 
King was also voted first-team all-conference in 2002 along with teammate Hanson who posted a .368 batting average with seven homers and 46 RBI that season. .  Hanson was also named first-team All-Southland Conference in 2001.
 
Boop was named first-team All-Southland Conference in 2003 and 2004.  He hit for a .374 average in 2003 with 45 RBI and 47 runs scored.  In his final season as a Demon hit .329 with 54 runs scored and 42 knocked in.
 
In 2004, Morgan led the Northwestern State in hitting with a .381 clip.  He was voted first-team all-conference that season and in 2006.  In 2006 he hit .352 with 48 RBI and runs scored.
 
Jordan Robison was NSU's first all-conference player in the decade.  He was first-team all-conference in both 2000 and 2001.  He led the Demons in hitting in his first season with a .342 average.  In 2001, he hit .372 with 56 RBI and 58 runs scored.
 
Robison, King, and Jones were all drafted in the Major League Baseball amateur draft. Robinson when in the 14th round to the St. Louis Cardinals, King went in the eighth round to the Cincinnati Reds, and Jones was taken in the 25th round to the Florida (now Miami) Marlins.



Southland Conference 2000s All-Decade Team (2000-09; 56 players)

Name, Team

Pos.

All-SLC

Superlatives

Michael Ambort, Lamar

C

2005, 2007

2005 Hitter of the Year

Bubba Bell, Nicholls

OF

2005

2005 Batting Average Champion

Josh Boop, Northwestern State

OF

2003, 2004

 

Bryan Cartie, McNeese State

3B

2006, 2007

 

Michael Choice, Texas-Arlington

OF

2009, 2010

2010 Player and Hitter of the Year

Willie Core, Louisiana-Monroe

3B

2001

2001 Player and Hitter of the Year

Danny Davis, McNeese State

P

2006

2006 Pitcher of the Year

Colin Delome, Lamar

OF

2006

2006 Player and Hitter of the Year

Tim Erickson, Lamar

P

2008

2008 Pitcher of the Year

Stephen Flora, Texas A&M-Corpus Christi

C

 

2008 Newcomer of the Year; 2008 Batting

Average Champion

Jesse Floyd, Lamar

P

2003

2003 Pitcher of the Year

Anthony Garibaldi, Southeastern Louisiana

P

 

2003 Newcomer of the Year; SLC Season (20) & Career (30) Saves Leader

Isa Garcia, Sam Houston State

2B

 

2005 Newcomer of the Year

Paul Goldschmidt, Texas State

1B

2008, 2009

2009 Player of the Year; 2008 & 2009 Hitter of the Year; 2011- MLB, Arizona

Matt Green, Louisiana-Monroe

P

2005

2005 Pitcher of the Year

Seth Hammock, Sam Houston State

3B

2008

2008 Batting Average Champion

Brad Hanson, Northwestern State

OF

2001, 2002

 

Clay Hensley, Lamar

P

2002

2002 Tournament MVP; 2005- MLB, San Diego, Florida, San Francisco, Cincinnati

Steven Hill, Stephen F. Austin

1B

2007

2007 Player and Hitter of the Year

Micah Hoffpauir, Lamar

1B

2002

2008-10 MLB, Chicago Cubs

Kane Holbrooks, Texas State

P

2009

2009 Pitcher of the Year

Chris Howay, McNeese State

P

2000

2000 Pitcher of the Year

Jared Howton, Texas-San Antonio

P

2001

2001 Pitcher of the Year

Ben Jones, Louisiana-Monroe

1B

2003, 2004

 

Blake Jones, Northwestern State

DH

2005

2005 Player of the Year

Blake Justice, Lamar

2B

2002, 2003

 

Eric Kanaby, Lamar

OF

2007

2007 Batting Average Champion

O. J. King, Northwestern State

P

2002

2002 Pitcher of the Year; 2001 Newcomer of the Year

Charlie Kingrey, McNeese State

OF

2006, 2007

 

Trent Lockwood, Texas-San Antonio

1B

 

2007 Newcomer of the Year

Mark Lowe, Texas-Arlington

P

 

2006- MLB, Seattle, Texas, Los Angeles (AL)

Dustin Martin, Sam Houston State

OF

2006

2006 Batting Average Champion

Wade Miley, Southeastern Louisiana

P

2008

2011- MLB, Arizona; 2012 MLB All-Star

Matt Miller, Texas State

OF

 

2004 Newcomer of the Year

Adam Moore, Texas-Arlington

C

2006

2006 Newcomer of the Year

Brandon Morgan, Northwestern State

2B

2004, 2006

 

Daniel Ortmeier, Texas-Arlington

OF

2001, 2002

 

Matt Otteman, Texas-Arlington

OF

2009

2009 Batting Average Champion

Matt Overman, Nicholls

P

 

2003 Strikeouts Leader

Hunter Pence, Texas-Arlington

OF

2003, 2004

2004 Hitter and Player of the Year; 2007- MLB, Houston, Philadelphia, San Francisco; Two-time MLB All-Star

Keith Prestridge, Texas State

DH

 

2009 Newcomer of the Year

Luke Prihoda, Sam Houston State

P

2007

2007 Pitcher of the Year

Braeden Riley, Sam Houston State

2B

2009

2009 & 2010 Hits Leader

Michael Rockett, Texas-San Antonio

OF

2008, 2009

2008 Player of the Year; SLC Career Leader in AB (940), Hits (337), Doubles (64), Total Bases (537) and RBI (210)

Bernard Robert, Southeastern Louisiana

P

2005

2005 ERA Leader

Ryan Roberts, Texas-Arlington

3B

2003

2003 Hitter and Player of the Year; 2002 Newcomer of the Year; 2006- MLB, Toronto, Texas, Arizona, Tampa Bay

Jordan Robison, Northwestern State

OF

2000, 2001

 

Randy Roth, Southeastern Louisiana

DH

 

2005 Hits Leader

Mark Schramek, Texas-San Antonio

3B

2002

2002 Hitter and Player of the Year

Brian Sisk, Lamar

P

2007, 2008

 

Kyle Stutes, Lamar

P

2004

2004 Pitcher of the Year

Kevin Mitchell, McNeese State

1B/DH

2000, 2001

 

Brent Varnado, Southeastern Louisiana

P

 

2008 ERA Leader

Bobby Verbick, Sam Houston State

OF

2007, 2008

 

Chris Williamson, McNeese State

1B

2000

2000 Hitter and Newcomer of the Year

Mike Wombacher, Louisiana-Monroe

P

 

2000 Player of the Year

 

 

Coach of the Decade: Jim Gilligan, Lamar

 
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