DAHLONEGA, GA – Following North Georgia’s 4-1 defeat at the hand of Francis Marion University in the Peach Belt Conference Tournament Championship game, Andre Airich, Craig Brisson, and Chad Sage were all honored for their play during the three-day tournament, matching the most players put on the team by any school.

After taking the first two games of the tournament 12-11 in dramatic fashion, North Georgia found themselves one game away from repeating as champions before Francis Marion shut down the Saints in a repeat of the 2008 championship game, taking the title game 4-1 to earn the automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament.

Chad Sage caught fire during the Peach Belt Conferece Tournament, hitting .538 with three home runs, eight runs batted in, and four runs scored. In the opener, the sophomore went 3-for-5 with two runs batted in and a home run. Sage then came back against Augusta on Saturday and launched two home runs, driving in six runs in a three-hit game. He had a slugging percentage of 1.231 and on base percentage of .600.

Andre Airich Airich carried the Saints on his back during the tournament opener, going 4-for-6 with two home runs, three runs batted in, and two runs scored in the Saints 12-11 victory over Armstrong Atlantic. The Roswell, Ga., native hit .385 over weekend, driving in four runs in 13 plate appearances and scoring four runs.

Craig Brisson reached base all weekend, going 8-for-16, including four hits in a 12-11 victory over Augusta State in the tournament semifinals. The junior drove in a single run in each game and recorded a triple and three runs scored. The Lawrenceville, Ga., native had on base percentage of .500 and sluggin percentage of .625.

2009 PBC All-Tournament Team

Jason Coker, UNC Pembroke
Shannon Wilkerson, Augusta State
Tim Rawlings, Augusta State
Craig Brisson, North Georgia
Andre Airich, North Georgia
Chad Sage, North Georgia
Josh Edgin, Francis Marion
Preston Shuey, Francis Marion

Tournament MVP
Barrett Kleinknecht, Francis Marion