Monday, June 17, 2002

Duenas and Eldred selected as All-Americans

unior catcher Tommy Duenas and senior first baseman Brad Eldred were named third team All-Americans as selected by the American Baseball Coaches Association/Rawlings.

Both had been named to the first-team All-South Central Region team on Thursday, along with freshman pitcher Derek DeCarlo.

The two become FIU's eighth and ninth ABCA All-Americans all-time and third and fourth since becoming Division I in 1982. In FIU baseball history, there have been 16 All-Americans selected since 1979.

Eldred made it to the semifinals of the NCAA Home Run Challenge held on Thursday night. The senior finished second in the nation with a Sun Belt Conference and school record 29 home runs. Eldred was the first pick in the sixth round by the Pittsburgh Pirates.

Duenas hit .387, with 12 home runs and 57 RBI. The junior went in the 16th round to the Anaheim Angels in the Major League Baseball draft.