Feb. 3, 2014
LAS VEGAS (UNLVRebels.com) - UNLV baseball junior pitcher Erick Fedde was named to Baseball America's Preseason All-America Second Team, the national publication announced Monday.
"When we took this program over we had a vision and we recruited these local guys and told them they were going to be the group to turn this program around," UNLV head coach Tim Chambers said. "Fedde, along with our other guys, totally bought in. To see him grow from a kid who came in here throwing 85 miles per hour to now throwing 96 and getting opportunities to play in the Cape Cod League and to pitch for Team USA is just incredible. He, along with his classmates, have become the faces of our program and I couldn't be happier."
Fedde was named the Midseason Outstanding Pitcher by Right Field Fog for his performance in the Cape Cod League before joining Team USA last summer. With the Rebels last season he sported a 7-3 record with a 3.92 ERA and ranked fourth in the conference with 83 strikeouts.
"It is a great honor coming from a very credible source," UNLV associate head coach and pitching coach Stan Stolte said. "Erick has worked as hard as anyone I've ever had and has earned that. What's even greater about Erick is that he would trade that honor for team success any day."
The Las Vegas High School product comes into the season with a 13-8 career record at UNLV and was also ranked the 17th best junior in the country by Baseball America. He is the first Rebel to be named preseason All-America since Brandon Bayardi earned an honorable mention by College Baseball Insider in 2012.
"It's just an honor to be named with some of the best college baseball players in the country," Fedde said.
Joining Fedde from the Mountain West on Baseball America's Second team is San Diego State's Greg Allen, while fellow Aztec Michael Cederoth was named to the Third Team. The Atlantic Coast Conference led all leagues with 10 preseason All-Americans, followed by the Southeastern Conference (nine), the Pacific-12 Conference (five) and the Big West Conference (four). The MW tied with the Big 12 for fifth with three preseason All-Americans.
The Rebels will open their 2014 season against Central Michigan at 6:05 p.m. PT on February 14 at Earl E. Wilson Stadium. Season tickets are still available at $90 for adults and $60 for faculty/staff and seniors. Prices for individual games are $8 for adults, $6 for faculty/staff and seniors and $5 for groups of 15 or more. Group tickets must be purchased at least one day in advance for the game. Children 12 and under and UNLV students with a valid student I.D. are free.
