FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. -- A pair of baseball newcomers, Alexander Fernandez and Alvin Swoope, earned second team All-South Region honors as named by Daktronics, Inc. on Thursday.
 
Fernandez (Jr., Davie, Fla.) and Swoope (Fr., Port St. Lucie, Fla.) each had banner years in their first go-round with the Sharks. The duo combined to start 82 out of a possible 92 games, each hitting over .300 and ranking among the team leaders in many categories.
 
Fernandez, named as utility/pitcher, batted .316, good enough for third on the team, tied for the team high in home runs with four and led outright with 16 doubles, 80 total bases and a .506 slugging percentage, the doubles ranking among the league leaders in the Sunshine State Conference. He was also second in runs (35) and hits (50), and third in RBI (28). He  made six appearances on the mound, pitching to a 3.57 ERA.
 
Swoope, led all Shark batters with 52 hits and had the second-highest average at .338 and on-base percentage at .428. His 12 doubles ranked third, .448 slugging percentage was fourth, and his 24 RBI and 30 runs scored were each fifth on the squad. From his shortstop position, he led the team with 113 assists, and he and Fernandez tied for the team high as they were each involved in 21 double plays.
 
The D2SIDA All-America and All-Region baseball teams are sponsored by Daktronics, Inc., an acknowledged world leader in scoring, timing and programmable display systems for virtually every sport at every level of competition. The teams are voted on by the members of D2SIDA, NCAA Division II Sports Information Directors Association.
 
SSC student-athletes accounted for 23 of the 32 All-Region selections, and picked up both the Player and Pitcher of the Year. The entire list is as follows:
 
Daktronics South Region Player of the Year – Stephen Dezzi, Tampa
Daktronics South Region Pitcher of the Year – Preston Packrall, Tampa
 
Daktronics First Team All-South Region
C – Sal Giardina, Jr., Lynn
1B – Fran Whitten, Saint Leo
2B – Matthew Fears, Valdosta State
SS – Mike Reed, Valdosta State
3B – Tyler Ding, Tampa
OF – Sheehan Planas-Arteaga, Barry
OF – Michael Danner, Tampa
OF – Dex Herrington, Delta State
DH – Stephen Dezzi, Tampa
UT (Non-Pitcher) – Alex DeBellis, Lynn
UT (Pitcher) – Matt Hendricks, Rollins
SP – Preston Packrall, Tampa
SP – Jordan DeLorenzo, West Florida
SP – David Heintz, Tampa
SP – Michael Manley, Delta State
RP – Bill Mendek, Lynn
 
Daktronics Second Team All-South Region
C – Nick Tindall, Tampa
1B – Trey Vavra, Florida Southern
2B – Orlando Rivera, Tampa
SS – Alvin Swoope, Nova Southeastern
3B – Dylan Harris, Saint Leo
OF – Jordan Chovanec, Delta State
OF – Keith Curcio, Florida Southern
OF – Austin Southall, West Florida
DH – Bryant Hayman, Valdosta State
UT (Non-Pitcher) – Nick Perez, Saint Leo
UT (Pitcher) – Alex Fernandez, Nova Southeastern
SP – Jed Vandernaald, Lynn
SP – Jimmy Gutowski, Eckerd
SP – Drew Eiland, Alabama-Huntsville
SP – Trey Oest, Tampa
RP – Kevin McNorton, Tampa

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