Ball State University Athletics
Junior Outfielder Justin Rogers Named To 2007 Wallace Watch
December 09, 2006 | Baseball
Ball State junior outfielder Justin Rogers has been placed on the 2007 Wallace Watch, a list of 148 student-athletes eligible for the Brooks Wallace Award presented to the College Baseball Foundation's player of the year.
Rogers returns as Ball State's leading hitter in 2007 after batting .347 as a sophomore on Ball State's 2006 NCAA Regional participant team. He logged 13 doubles, five home runs and 44 RBI last season on his way to earning All-Mid-American Conference Second Team honors.
Rogers hit .560 over the Cardinals' final 14 games, helping Ball State go 12-2 during that stretch to lock up a second place finish in the MAC West Division.
In Ball State's four MAC Tournament games, Rogers hit .308 as the Cardinals became the first team since 2000 to win the tournament with a perfect 4-0 record. In the tournament semifinals against Kent State, Rogers blasted a two-run home run in the eighth inning to tie the game 4-4. Ball State went on to win the game in 11 innings and defeated Kent State again in the championship game to earn the first MAC Tournament championship in school history.
In Ball State's opening round NCAA Regional game against No. 1 seed Kentucky, Rogers produced the big hit again. With the game tied 1-1 in the eighth inning, Rogers laced a single down the left field line that scored the two runs Ball State needed for a 3-1 win.
Rogers was one of five MAC players named to the list, joing John Ely of Miami, Steve Bradshaw of Eastern Michigan, Scott Simon of Northern Illinois and Bryan Mitzel of Central Michigan.
The award is named for former Texas Tech shortstop and assistant coach Brooks Wallace, who died of cancer in 1985 at the age of 27. The watch list will be cut to 12 semifinalists in May and will then be trimmed to three following the NCAA Super Regionals. The award is voted on by a committee of coaches, sports information directors, former winners and beat writers.
Rogers and the Cardinals will open the 2007 season Feb. 16 against Oklahoma State in the Florida Atlantic Tounament. Ball State will play 24 home games, including three games in the Ball State Invitational March 16-18 as well as contests against in-state, Big Ten foes indiana and Purdue.
