Justin Rodriguez was one of the top rookies in the conference, leading the nation in RBIs by a rookie at one point. Photo by Wayne Gehman.

Banglesdorf, Rodriguez Named All-Region

After an incredible offensive season, D3baseball.com has recognized a pair of EMU baseball players to the All-South Region Team.  Beau Banglesdorf (Stafford, VA/Mountain View) earned a spot on the All-Region First Team and Justin Rodriguez (Miramar, FL/Pace) landed on the Second Team, as the Royals were the only ODAC team with a player on each of the first two teams.

Banglesdorf was named one of the three First Team outfielders, as he led or co-led Eastern Mennonite in eight offensive categories, including a .395 batting average, .618 slugging percentage and 35 runs scored.  The senior was second on the team with 27 RBIs.  Banglesdorf’s stats also held up in comparison to the Old Dominion Athletic Conference, as at the end of the regular season he was second in the ODAC with 18 doubles, third with 97 total bases and fourth with his slugging percentage.

Rodriguez had a phenomenal rookie season at third base and was the only freshman position player on the first or second All-Region Teams.  He batted .374 with team highs of 41 RBIs and four homeruns, while adding 28 runs.  At times during the season, Rodriguez was among national leaders in RBIs and he finished third in the ODAC in the category.  He was also tenth in the ODAC with a .561 slugging percentage.

The Royals broke their program record with 447 hits as a team and topped the ODAC with a .335 batting average.  They finished with a record of 11-27 and 4-14 in league play.

Including Banglesdorf and Rodriguez, only eight ODAC players were voted onto the region’s top three teams.