Freshmen Kyle Schwarber, Sam Travis named Louisville Slugger All-Americans

Collegiate Baseball newspaper named IU catcher Kyle Schwarber and first baseman Sam Travis to the Louisville Slugger Freshman All-American team Wednesday. The two were an important part of an IU offense that scored 326 runs, fifth most in the Big Ten.

Both players ranked in the top 10 of the conference for several major offensive categories. In conference games only, Schwarber ranked first in runs scored (26), second in doubles (9) and RBI (23), and sixth in batting average (.376). Travis’ 50 RBI for the entire season rank second in the conference, and he ranks fourth in doubles (17) and ties for third in homeruns (9).

Travis’ nine homeruns and 50 RBI also led the team, while Schwarber was right behind him in both categories, hitting eight homeruns and driving in 47. The duo were also numbers two and three in hitting, as Travis posted a .319 clip and Schwarber a .300 clip.

Schwarber and Travis were regularly placed back-to-back in a potent Hoosier lineup, with Schwarber in the two-hole and Travis hitting third. Schwarbers’ running and bunting ability — skills not often associated with catchers — made him an excellent fit in the two-hole, an unusual spot for a catcher.

The tandem’s ability to work together in the lineup was evident in a dramatic, 10-8 comeback victory against Ohio State on May 17.

With IU down 8-7 entering the bottom of the eighth, a Chris Sujka walk and error by Buckeyes third baseman Brad Hallberg on a Justin Cureton bunt allowed Schwarber to sacrifice both runners into scoring position.

Schwarber’s execution on the bunt paid off the next at-bat, when Travis delivered a go-ahead, two-run double to left, sending the home crowd into a frenzy.

“Big Kyle (Schwarber) is actually one of our best bunters,” IU Head Coach Tracy Smith said. “It was a little tough, but there’s probably only one or two times per year you ask that big donkey to bunt, and that was one of them.”

The recognitions mark the fifth consecutive season Indiana baseball has had a freshman earn the national award and the second straight season with multiple Freshman All-Americans in the same year. Schwarber and Travis became the eighth and ninth Hoosiers honored for the award all-time, and sixth and seventh in the last five seasons. Jerrud Sabourin was recognized in 2008, Alex Dickerson in 2009, recent ninth-round MLB draft pick Micah Johnson in 2010 and Dustin DeMuth and Joey DeNato in 2011.

— Joe Popely