University of North Carolina Ashville Athletics
Five Bulldog Baseball Players Earn All-Big South Honors
05.24.2022 | Baseball
BIG SOUTH RELEASE
CHARLOTTE, N.C. – The Big South Conference announced its annual award winners and All-Conference teams for the 2022 baseball season on Tuesday. Overall, five different Bulldogs earned All-Big South recognition: Dominic Freeberger (First Team – Utility Player), Jacob Edwards (First Team – Starting Pitcher), Justin Honeycutt (First Team – Relief Pitcher), Robbie Burnett (Honorable Mention, All-Freshman Team), and Blake Little (All-Academic Team).
Freeberger, who also garnered All-Big South First Team honors in 2021, has played eight of the nine positions during his senior campaign in 2022, with the lone exception being catcher. The Baltimore native led the team in batting average (.330) and hits (62), including a .364 average with 14 RBI vs. Big South competition. As a pitcher, Freeberger saved three games and held opposing hitters to a .081 batting average. Furthermore, he is the only Bulldog to start all 48 games for Asheville.
Edwards developed into one of the top starting pitchers in the Big South in 2022. He led Asheville's pitching staff in wins (8), innings pitched (82.2), and strikeouts (75). His eight wins are the most by a Bulldog since 2008, when Alan DeRatt also won eight games. Edwards gave the Bulldogs a chance to win more times than not as he held opponents to three runs or fewer in eight of his 13 starts. Furthermore, he posted a 5-0 record with a 2.15 ERA in seven starts vs. Big South teams. Edwards recently became tied for fifth on Asheville's all-time wins list (16) and seventh in career strikeouts (202).
Honeycutt has been one of Asheville's top options out of the bullpen in 2022. He is 4-2 with a 1.91 ERA in 47 innings pitched to go with a pair of saves. Along with his overall numbers, Honeycutt has been even better vs. the Big South with a 4-1 record, a 1.48 ERA, a .196 batting average against, and a 0.93 WHIP. Honeycutt, the Big South's Relief Pitcher of the Week, back on March 21, and his 1.91 ERA currently ranks as the fourth-lowest ERA ever logged by a Bulldog pitcher that has thrown at least 30 innings in a season.
Burnett has made an immediate impact for Asheville as a freshman. Taking over as the team's main second baseman early on in 2022, Burnett finished the regular season leading the Bulldogs in slugging percentage (.476), runs scored (36), triples (3), total bases (81), along with tying for the team-lead in home runs (5) and stolen bases (6). A two-time Big South Freshman of the Week selection, Burnett has hit .347 vs. Big South teams.
Little, a management major at UNC Asheville, was picked as the Bulldogs' All-Academic Team member. On the mound, Little has been one of Asheville's most reliable relievers, posting a record of 2-0 with a 5.14 ERA in 28 innings pitched, a save, and a opponents' batting average of .230 in 2022.
The Bulldogs will be back in action on Wednesday when it opens play in the 2022 Ingles Big South Baseball Championship with a matchup against Gardner-Webb. Wednesday's game, which will be played at Truist Point in High Point, N.C., is scheduled for a 3 p.m. first pitch on ESPN+.
CHARLOTTE, N.C. – The Big South Conference announced its annual award winners and All-Conference teams for the 2022 baseball season on Tuesday. Overall, five different Bulldogs earned All-Big South recognition: Dominic Freeberger (First Team – Utility Player), Jacob Edwards (First Team – Starting Pitcher), Justin Honeycutt (First Team – Relief Pitcher), Robbie Burnett (Honorable Mention, All-Freshman Team), and Blake Little (All-Academic Team).
Freeberger, who also garnered All-Big South First Team honors in 2021, has played eight of the nine positions during his senior campaign in 2022, with the lone exception being catcher. The Baltimore native led the team in batting average (.330) and hits (62), including a .364 average with 14 RBI vs. Big South competition. As a pitcher, Freeberger saved three games and held opposing hitters to a .081 batting average. Furthermore, he is the only Bulldog to start all 48 games for Asheville.
Edwards developed into one of the top starting pitchers in the Big South in 2022. He led Asheville's pitching staff in wins (8), innings pitched (82.2), and strikeouts (75). His eight wins are the most by a Bulldog since 2008, when Alan DeRatt also won eight games. Edwards gave the Bulldogs a chance to win more times than not as he held opponents to three runs or fewer in eight of his 13 starts. Furthermore, he posted a 5-0 record with a 2.15 ERA in seven starts vs. Big South teams. Edwards recently became tied for fifth on Asheville's all-time wins list (16) and seventh in career strikeouts (202).
Honeycutt has been one of Asheville's top options out of the bullpen in 2022. He is 4-2 with a 1.91 ERA in 47 innings pitched to go with a pair of saves. Along with his overall numbers, Honeycutt has been even better vs. the Big South with a 4-1 record, a 1.48 ERA, a .196 batting average against, and a 0.93 WHIP. Honeycutt, the Big South's Relief Pitcher of the Week, back on March 21, and his 1.91 ERA currently ranks as the fourth-lowest ERA ever logged by a Bulldog pitcher that has thrown at least 30 innings in a season.
Burnett has made an immediate impact for Asheville as a freshman. Taking over as the team's main second baseman early on in 2022, Burnett finished the regular season leading the Bulldogs in slugging percentage (.476), runs scored (36), triples (3), total bases (81), along with tying for the team-lead in home runs (5) and stolen bases (6). A two-time Big South Freshman of the Week selection, Burnett has hit .347 vs. Big South teams.
Little, a management major at UNC Asheville, was picked as the Bulldogs' All-Academic Team member. On the mound, Little has been one of Asheville's most reliable relievers, posting a record of 2-0 with a 5.14 ERA in 28 innings pitched, a save, and a opponents' batting average of .230 in 2022.
The Bulldogs will be back in action on Wednesday when it opens play in the 2022 Ingles Big South Baseball Championship with a matchup against Gardner-Webb. Wednesday's game, which will be played at Truist Point in High Point, N.C., is scheduled for a 3 p.m. first pitch on ESPN+.
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