GREENSBORO, N.C. – Prime contributors on one of the finest Virginia Tech baseball teams ever to grace Blacksburg, five Hokies have been named to the 2022 ABCA/Rawlings NCAA Division I Atlantic All-Region Teams, as announced by the American Baseball Coaches Association on Wednesday.
Sophomore outfielder Jack Hurley, sophomore shortstop Tanner Schobel and freshman pitcher Drue Hackenberg placed onto the Atlantic All-Region First Team while third-year outfielder Gavin Cross and third-year catcher Cade Hunter earned selection to the Atlantic All-Region Second Team.
Tech led the Atlantic Region with its five overall selections, tying for the fourth most nationally while outpacing in-region programs Davidson (four) and Wake Forest (four). The Hokies' three First Team mentions also marked the most within the Atlantic Region.
Batting cleanup for the majority of the season, Hurley ranked steadily among the nation's best hitters, beginning the year with his 26-game hitting streak that set Tech's ACC-era program record. The five-tool left fielder led the country in batting average as late as April 7 (.464), posting a .375 mark for the season alongside his .664 slugging percentage, 87 hits, 55 RBIs, 14 home runs and his ACC leading, 23 doubles (through June 13).
Hurley was named a national semifinalist for the 2022 Dick Howser Trophy, was chosen to the Collegiate Baseball Newspaper All-American Third Team and placed onto the All-ACC First Team.
Regarded as one of the top collegiate shortstops in the game, Schobel racked up 74 RBIs from the third spot in Tech's batting order, pacing the Hokies in both home runs (19) and slugging percentage (.689). Among his 85 hits, the five-foot-10 middle infielder yielded 18 doubles while defensively having a say in all but six of the team's 42 double plays.
Schobel was tabbed one of six national finalists for the 2022 Brooks Wallace Award (presented annually to the nation's best collegiate shortstop), was named a national semifinalist for both the Golden Spikes Award and the Dick Howser Trophy, collected All-ACC First Team honors and garnered distinction on the Collegiate Baseball Newspaper All-American Third Team.
One of the best emerging stars in the ACC, Hackenberg broke through for a 10-2 record as a rookie starting pitcher, mastering the lowest regular season ERA within the ACC (2.44). For the year, the freshman right-hander toed a 3.30 ERA across 92 and two-thirds innings pitched, registering 87 strikeouts against 19 walks and his .259 opposing batting average.
Hackenberg – a two-time 2022 Freshman All-American (Collegiate Baseball Newspaper, NCBWA) – accompanied Hurley and Schobel on both the Collegiate Baseball Newspaper All-American Third Team and the All-ACC First Team. He also earned placement onto the ACC All-Freshman Team.
A steady offensive performer, Cross put the wheels of Tech's lineup in motion, recording 14 doubles, eight triples (ranking in a tie for the second most nationally as of June 13) and 17 home runs while leading the Hokies in runs scored (70). The left-hand power bat batted .328 and slugged .660 to the tune of 50 RBIs, remaining perfect for the season in stolen base attempts at 12-for-12.
Cross joined Schobel as a national semifinalist for the 2022 Golden Spikes Award, garnering All-ACC First Team praise for the second consecutive season. He was also named the Most Outstanding Player of the 2022 NCAA Blacksburg Regional for batting .615 (8-for-13) with a double, a triple, two home runs, five runs scored and seven RBIs.
Anchoring the Hokies as their everyday catcher, Hunter blossomed into a .400 hitter during early April, cooling to a .330 batting average and a .637 slugging percentage by season's end. Tech's third-year backstop chalked 70 hits, 14 doubles, 17 home runs and 66 RBIs, swiping the same number of stolen bases (11) as he caught defensively (11).
Hunter was named a national semifinalist for the 2022 Buster Posey Award, presented annually to the nation's best collegiate catcher. He also received All-ACC Second Team consideration during the league's postseason awards presentation.
