Haden Erbe Named South Region Pitcher of Year; Eight Spartans Tabbed All-Region
LAKELAND, Fla. – University of Tampa starting pitcher Haden Erbe led the 2022 D2CCA Baseball All-South Region First Team, as a total of eight UT players were named all-region. Recipients were selected by the region sports information directors.
Representing the Spartans as first-team All-South Region selections are J.D. Urso, Drew Ehrhard, E.J. Cumbo, Haden Erbe, Michael Paul, and Braydon Nelson. Dan Sullivan and Jordan Lala were recipients of second-team honors.
Erbe, a senior starter from Lafayette, La. Was recently named to the All-Sunshine State Conference First Team leading the No. 2 team in the nation to a number one seed in the south regional tournament and hosting bid. He appeared and started in 15 games with a conference-high 10 wins and led the league in strikeouts, tallying 103 on the year. Erbe finished the regular season with a 2.20 ERA and an opposing batting average of .218.
Bobby Sparling, a junior outfielder, was recently named the Sunshine State Conference Player of the Year leading his team to a regional host bid beginning this week. He led the SSC in home runs (21), RBI's (62), hits (72), slugging percentage (.758), and on-base plus slugging (1.214). The Palm Coast, Florida product is fourth in conference batting average (.371) and seventh in runs scored (46). Sparling was the third Lion to win Player of the Year honors and the first since 1998.
Joining Erbe and Sparling on the first team are Montevallo's Jake Smallwood (C); Spring Hill's Micah Morgan (1B); Delta State's Jake Barlow (2B); Tampa's J.D. Urso (SS), E.J. Cumbo (OF), Drew Ehrhard (UTIL), Braydon Nelson (RP), Michael Paul (SP); Nova Southeastern's Daniel Irisarri (3B), Duncan Pastore (DH); Alabama Huntsville's Garrett Bodine (OF); Miles' Kody Long (UTIL-P); Valdosta State's Elijah Gill (SP); and Rollins' Jaylyn Whitehead (SP).
Representing the second team are Miles' Jacob Bisharat (C); Tampa's Dan Sullivan (1B), Jordan Lala (OF); Benedict's Bradon O'Connor (2B); Delta State's Carson Clowers (SS); Auburn Montgomery's Zach Dew (3B); West Alabama's Jake Nemith (3B); Montevallo's Reed Latimer (OF), Connor Phelan (RP); Spring Hill's Gage Ragona (OF), Michael Romano (RP); Union's Grayson Swanson (DH); Alabama Huntsville's Landon Ezzell (UTIL); Rollins' Chase Achuff (UTIL/P); Florida Southern's Nathan Madej (SP), Dawson Lane (SP); Shorter's Jonathan Pintaro (SP); and Saint Leo's Dariel Fregio.
All 16 first-team All-Region selections will now be placed on the national ballot for All-America consideration. The All-America teams are scheduled to be released on Wednesday, June 1. The complete D2CCA All-South Region teams can be found on the following page.
The Division II Conference Commissioners Association encourages and promotes Division II athletics and high standards of sportsmanship as important elements of higher education. The CCA is a key communications link among the conferences as they discuss views, policies, and regulations that impact Division II intercollegiate athletics and work closely with the NCAA as a communications channel to NCAA Division II member colleges and universities.