University of Tennessee Athletics
Three Vols Land on Louisville Slugger Freshman All-America Team
June 08, 2005 | Baseball
June 8, 2005
Tennessee baseball players James Adkins, J.P. Arencibia and Julio Borbon have all been named to the 2005 Louisville Slugger Freshman All-America Team, selected by Collegiate Baseball Newspaper. The Volunteers have never previously had three players earn Freshman All-America honors in the same season.
Adkins has performed like a veteran on the mound for the Vols this season, boasting a 9-4 record and a 3.20 ERA. The left-hander from Mt. Juliet, Tenn., is the only pitcher in UT history to reach the 100-strikeout milestone as a freshman (116 Ks in 112 1/3 innings pitched). Adkins' other honors this season include being named to the SEC All-Freshman Team and the NCAA Knoxville Regional All-Tournament Team. He was also tabbed as the Knoxville Regional's Most Outstanding Player after striking out a career-high 15 batters versus Winthrop June 4.
Arencibia continues to haul in high-profile honors after also earning SEC Freshman of the Year recognition and inclusion on the 2005 SEC All-Tournament Team and the 2005 NCAA Knoxville Regional All-Tournament Team. The catcher from Miami, Fla., has started every game this season for the Vols and ranks tied for second on the club with 13 home runs. His 13 long balls make him the all-time UT record-holder for homers by a freshman (Todd Helton held the old record with 11 home runs in 1993). Arencibia is hitting .332 this season with 88 hits and 67 RBIs.
Borbon, an outfielder from Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, ranks third on the team with a .361 batting average this season. His 19 bunt singles are believed to be the most in the NCAA (bunt hits are not an official stat). He has 75 hits, 40 RBIs and three home runs on the year. Like Adkins and Arencibia, Borbon was also named to the 2005 SEC All-Freshman Team.
Tennessee joined Rice, North Carolina and Virginia as the only teams in the nation to place at least three players on the 2005 Louisville Slugger Freshman All-America Team.
