Ball State University Athletics
Vitek Earns Collegiate Baseball Freshman All-America Honors
June 04, 2008 | Baseball
MUNCIE, Ind. -- Ball State freshman pitcher/designated hitter Kolbrin Vitek has been honored as a member of Collegiate Baseball's Louisville Slugger Freshman All-America Team, as announced Tuesday. Vitek was one of three players to be named to the team as a "multiple position athlete."
In his first year of college baseball, Vitek quickly made an impact for Ball State both on the mound and at the plate. The freshman spent the entire season in the Cardinals' weekend rotation and served as Ball State's usual designated hitter in the games he did not pitch.
As the Cardinals' Sunday starter for most of the season, Vitek posted a team-best 6-1 record with a 5.65 ERA. He led Ball State with 69 strikeouts while walking just 19, and he ranked second in the Mid-American Conference with 9.51 strikeouts per nine innings. Ball State won 11 of the 13 games he started.
In addition to his 13 starts on the mound, Vitek started 31 games as Ball State's designated hitter and three games as the Cardinals' first baseman. At the plate, he logged a .305 batting average with five home runs and 24 RBI. He also added four doubles and three triples.
Vitek is the 10th player in Ball State history to be selected to a Freshman All-America team. He is the first to earn the honor since former Cardinal pitcher Ben Snyder, who was named to the 2005 Collegiate Baseball Freshman All-America Team.
Of the 99 freshmen honored by Collegiate Baseball, Vitek was one of three MAC players selected to the team. The magazine selected South Florida outfielder Ryan Lockwood as its Freshman Player of the Year and Miami (Fla.) left-hander Chris Hernandez as its Freshman Pitcher of the Year.
Ball State wrapped up its season May 23 at the MAC Tournament in Chillicothe, Ohio. The Cardinals posted a record of 28-25 on the season and finished third in the MAC West with a league record of 12-11.
