UK Baseball’s White, Beggs and Hjelle Earn All-SEC Honors

Three Kentucky Wildcats, first baseman Evan White and pitchers Dustin Beggs and Sean Hjelle, received recognition on the Coaches’ All-Southeastern Conference Team announced Monday by the league office.
White was named second-team All-SEC and also earned a place as the first baseman on the SEC All-Defensive Team. Beggs joined White as the pitcher on the All-Defensive Team. Hjelle was chosen as the relief pitcher on the SEC All-Freshman Team.

White, a sophomore from Gahanna, Ohio, is batting .377 with 15 doubles, three triples, four home runs and 39 RBI. He leads the team in batting average, doubles, triples and RBI. He also has had a sparkling performance in the field, with numerous outstanding defensive plays and only one error all season.
Beggs, a senior from Roswell, Ga., has a 9-2 record with a 3.01 earned run average. He leads the team in wins, innings pitched (98.2), complete games (two), strikeouts (80) and fewest walks per nine innings (1.46). He does a fine of fielding his position and has picked off nine baserunners this season, leading the SEC in that category.
Hjelle, a freshman from White Bear Lake, Minn., emerged as the team’s closer as the season progressed. He has a 4-1 record, 3.74 earned run average and eight saves. He is seventh in the SEC in saves and third in games finished (19).
Kentucky is in Hoover, Ala., preparing for the Southeastern Conference Tournament. The Wildcats play Alabama on Tuesday at 5:30 p.m. ET in a single-elimination first-round game. The game will be televised on the SEC Network and also available on the UK Sports Radio Network.
by Tony Neely