Blazers Earn All-America Honors

Four Blazers named among the nation's best

VALDOSTA, Ga. - Valdosta State Blazers Matt Costello, Brandon Decker, Brandon Graves and Chase Blackwood were recognized for their outstanding play during the 2009 baseball season as the quartet received a variety of All-America honors Thursday.

Costello, who batted a team-high .462 while driving in 69 runs, earned first team honors from Daktronics, as voted on by sports information directors, as a utility player while also being named to the organization's honorable mention list as a starting pitcher, where he compiled a 9-3 record and a 3.67 earned run average. Likewise, the junior earned second team honors on the Rawlings/American Baseball Coaches Association and National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association All-America teams. Costello counted 22 doubles, a triple and 11 home runs among his 97 hits while also scoring 65 runs.

Decker earned a pair of first team nods as he was recognized as one of the nation's best outfielders by Daktronics and Rawlings/ABCA. The junior, who batted .402 while hitting a team-best 21 home runs, also earned second team honors from the NCBWA. Decker led VSU with 75 runs scored and 84 RBI while hitting six doubles and three triples on the season.

Graves Earned third team All-America honors from Daktronics, the second straight season a VSU reliever has been honored. The senior tallied an 11-2 record and seven saves while leading Valdosta State with a 3.04 earned run average on the year. He led the Blazer squad with 85 strikeouts while holding opponents to a .260 batting average.

Blackwood rounded out the honors by earning Honorable Mention All-America honors from the NCBWA. The senior endured a two-month slump during the season that limited his batting average to just .258, but tied with Decker with 21 home runs, the fourth-best total in the nation. He scored 61 runs on the year while driving in another 56.

In order to be named to receive All-America recognition, a player must receive first-team All-Region honors from the respective organization. VSU's three All-America honorees and one honorable mention this season marks the schools most since the 1983 season, when four Blazers earned the recognition.

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