January 21, 2010

AUGUSTA, GA – In preparation for the 2010 baseball season, the Peach Belt Conference released the 11-member preseason All-Conference team from the league office on Thursday afternoon.

The team was selected by the conference head coaches and features players from eight of the 12 baseball-playing schools in the Peach Belt. North Georgia leads the way with three honorees as Andre Airich, Jordan Erisman, and Daniel Petitti were all named to the preseason squad.

A 2009 First-Team Peach Belt All-Conference and Second-Team ABCA/Rawlings All-Region performer, Andre Airich hit .386 last season with 10 home runs, 63 runs batted in, and 143 total bases. Airich ranked in the top 10 in the Peach Belt Conference in hits, runs scored, runs batted in, total bases, doubles, and slugging percentage. He was second in the conference with 20 doubles and started all 58 games for the Saints. The Roswell, Ga., native had 15 games with three hits or more and had 28 multiple hit games and 17 multiple RBI games.
 
Jordan Erisman hit .326 during the 2009 season with nine home runs, 36 runs batted in, and 11 doubles as a true freshman while starting all 58 games for the Saints. The Lawrenceville, Ga., native had seven of his 11 doubles in conference games, and hit four home runs and drove in 16 runs against Peach Belt Conference schools. Erisman had seven games with three hits or more, and held a 15-game hitting streak during the season while driving in multiple runs on seven occasions, and adding multiple hit games 19 times. ¬

Daniel Petitti was named to the 2009 ABCA/Rawlings All-Southeast Region Gold Glove Team after committing just three errors for a .992 fielding percentage behind the plate. He threw out 21 base stealers and picked up 10 runners while batting .258 with six home runs, seven doubles, and 31 runs batted in.

North Georgia’s 50-game slate opens February 5th, hosting Pfeiffer University for a three-game weekend series, while the regular season will wrap up in St. Augustine, Florida, taking on Flagler College for a trio of games.

North Georgia opens Peach Belt Conference action on February 27, hosting UNC Pembroke for a three-game slate, before traveling to Milledgeville, Ga., the following weekend for a trio of games against in-state rival GCSU.

2010 Peach Belt Baseball Preseason All-Conference Team

1b – Seth Kivett, UNC Pembroke
2b – Andre Airich, North Georgia
3b – Jordan Erisman, North Georgia
SS – Barret Kleinknecht, Francis Marion
C – Daniel Pettiti, North Georgia
OF – Bud Lanier, Lander
OF – Alex Montes, Columbus State
OF – Alex Wyche, Armstrong Atlantic State
DH – Travis Howard, USC Aiken
SP – Matt McGovern, UNC Pembroke
RP – Martin Dewald, GCSU