Oakton baseball player named to All-American First Team
The National Junior College Athletic Association recently named Oakton Community College sophomore outfielder Joe Walsh, of Palatine, to its 2013 Division II Baseball All-American First Team. Walsh was one of only 12 players in the nation to be designated to this prestigious squad.
Walsh helped lead the Raiders to a 38-18-1 record this season, in which he batted .412, boasted 51 runs batted in, smacked seven home runs and led NJCAA Division II in doubles (26).
“I’m so proud of Joe,” said Bill Fratto, Oakton’s head baseball coach. “He had a tremendous season for us and is very deserving of this honor. Many NCAA Division I teams are expressing an interest in him and it just goes to show that hard work pays off.”
This is not the first major award the transfer student from Black Hawk College-Moline has received this year for the Raiders. The NJCAA also honored Walsh as its Division II Region IV All-North Central District Baseball Player of the Year and the Illinois Skyway Collegiate Conference selected him to its All-Conference Baseball First Team.
In the championship game of the NJCAA Region IV Sectional Tournament on May 12, Walsh suffered a serious injury after he was struck in the head with a line drive. He was taken to the hospital, released, and is expected to make a full recovery.
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