4 Braves named to NCBWA All-Southeast Region squad

PEMBROKE — Postseason honors continued to roll in Wednesday afternoon as four Braves were named to the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association (NCBWA) All-Southeast Region Team. Kody O’Connor and Joey Rezek each picked up first team honors, while Michael Dolberry II and Jonathon Jacobs were named to the second team.

The Braves joined Georgia College as the only programs with four selections. The announcement marks the 14th time in the last 16 full seasons the Black & Gold has had at least one all-region honoree, as well as the 11th time multiple Braves have been selected. It is the first career All-Region honor for each of the quartet.

An everyday starter in right field for the Braves, O’Connor has compiled a .355 (71-for-200) batting average in 53 starts this season to go along with 16 doubles, 16 homers, and a team-high 74 RBI. The Lebanon, Ohio native has also drawn 32 walks and been hit by a team-high 18 pitches, while logging a .476 on base percentage and a .675 slugging percentage. The first-team All-Conference and Conference Carolinas All-Tournament Team selection has racked up a team-leading 23 multi-hit games this season, and has also chipped in with eight stolen bases and three outfield assists.

Rezek settled into the designated hitter role and had a breakout season, hitting .413 (76-for-184) in 48 starts, while also adding 17 doubles, 20 home runs, and 71 RBI. The senior from Colfax led Conference Carolinas and is currently eighth in the country in runs scored with 74, one away from tying the UNCP single-season school record. The Conference Carolinas Tournament MVP and first-team All-Conference selection has logged 20 multi-hit games and a team-leading 22 multi-RBI games, while also going a perfect 14-for-14 in the stolen base department. Rezek has also provided a .518 on base percentage and an .832 slugging percentage for a ridiculous 1.350 OPS.

A Prince George, Virginia native, Dolberry has been a mainstay in left field for the Black & Gold and has provided a .386 (61-for-158) batting average to go along with 14 doubles, a triple, and 13 long balls. Another first-team All-Conference selection, the senior currently ranks inside the top 10 in the conference in batting average, doubles, home runs, slugging percentage (.734), and stolen bases (15), while also tallying 17 multi-hit and 11 multi-RBI games.

The ace of the pitching staff, Jacobs has put together an outstanding season in the Black & Gold’s starting rotation, racking up an 8-1 record and a 2.96 ERA in 11 starts. The Lumberton native has held opponents to a paltry .226 average, and has logged 61 punchouts in 67 innings, with 28 of them coming over 20 innings pitched in his last three starts. Jacobs has picked up the win against two top-25 teams this season, picking up the victory in the series-clinching win over No. 2 North Greenville, while going seven innings against No. 23 Barton, allowing just five hits and an unearned run to lock up the series.