Florida Tech’s Allen and Ward Among Semifinalists For Nation’s Top Honors

By  //  April 23, 2015

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Chosen from 272 NCAA Division II programs across the nation, the 2015 D2 Baseball News Tino Martinez and Brett Tomko Awards have each been narrowed down to 32 semifinalists. (Photos by Amanda Stratford Photography)

BREVARD COUNTY • MELBOURNE, FLORIDA – Chosen from 272 NCAA Division II programs across the nation, the 2015 D2 Baseball News Tino Martinez and Brett Tomko Awards have each been narrowed down to 32 semifinalists.

Representing America’s best players and pitchers, Florida Tech’s Austin Allen and Scotty Ward have been selected as members of the highly-exclusive group.

Florida Tech is one of only seven programs to have a player named to each list.

Austin Allen
Austin Allen

Granted to the most outstanding field player, Austin Allen cracks the Tino Martinez Award ballot after being named to the watch list a year ago as a sophomore.

The native of Kirkwood, Missouri is among the top-five in the Sunshine State Conference in: hits, runs scored, home runs, RBIs, total bases, on base percentage and slugging percentage. In addition, the left-handed hitting catcher is second in the country in doubles with 23, and has 22 multi-hit efforts in 42 starts overall.

Scotty Ward
Scotty Ward

The lone SSC pitcher to be recognized, Scotty Ward has been as steady as they come for the Panthers’ league-best pitching staff.

Victorious in each of his first seven starts to begin the season, the senior southpaw is currently 8-2 with a 2.29 earned run average to go along with a 49:8 strikeout-to-walk ratio.

Ward’s impressive numbers rank him within the top-three in the league in ERA and innings pitched, and the top-10 in all of NCAA Division II in wins and walks allowed per nine innings.

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Colorado Mesa’s Austin Kaiser and Mercyhurst’s Dan Altavilla earned both honors in 2014.

Award finalists will be announced just prior to the NCAA Division II Championships, before the winners are unveiled on Monday, June 1.

FIT returns to the diamond for its final regular season series this Friday at 6 p.m. against Palm Beach Atlantic.

The Panthers knocked off the Sailfish 6-3 in their lone meeting back on March 31.