NSU– With one swing in the Southland Conference Baseball Tournament, David Fry helped rewrite Northwestern State baseball history, putting the Demons in position to reach the NCAA postseason since 2005.
Early Thursday morning, Fry added to that history by being named third-team All-American by Collegiate Baseball Magazine. Fry became the second Demon in the past three years to be named to an All-American team, joining former teammate Adam Oller, who was named to a pair of All-American teams (Collegiate Baseball, American Baseball Coaches Association).
“We’re out here (at the NCAA Corvallis Regional) to win games, but it’s cool when you get recognized like that on a personal level,” Fry said. “It’s a cool feeling.”
A 6-foot, 195-pound senior, Fry becomes the fourth Demon to be named All-American since 1994, joining Oller, shortstop Ryan Anholt (1998, 99) and pitcher Reggie Gatewood (1994). Fry is NSU’s first non-pitching All-American since Anholt repeated the feat 19 years ago.
Fry, Northwestern State’s all-time leader in at-bats (841), doubles (74) and total bases (430), added his All-American honor to the Southland Conference Player of the Year and SLC Tournament Most Valuable Credentials he accrued earlier this month.
Building on a first-team ABCA All-Region junior season, Fry hit .336 with 26 doubles, 12 home runs and 55 RBIs as the Demons captured their first Southland Conference Tournament championship and tied a school record by winning 17 more games than a season ago.
Fry’s 26 doubles and 12 home runs give him back-to-back seasons of at least 20 doubles and 10 home runs, a feat no one else in NSU baseball history has accomplished.
“I said it before, he deserves everything he’s received,” second-year head coach Bobby Barbier said. “It’s nice to be recognized by people outside the region who can look at the body of work he’s put together. He’s been a great competitor for us for four years and earned every bit of it.”
Entering the Corvallis Regional, Fry ranks four nationally in doubles (26) and holds top-100 individual rankings in total bases (17th, 147), hits (56th, 79(, slugging percentage (56th, .626), RBIs (67th, 55) and home runs (100th, 12).
Fry’s 26 doubles are an NSU single-season record, and he stands in the single-season top 10 in school history in total bases (2nd, 147), at-bats (5th, 235), home runs (T-7th, 12) and slugging percentage ((8th, .626).
Fry and the Demons will play their first NCAA Regional game since 2005 when they face Oregon State at 9 p.m. (CDT) Friday at Goss Stadium.
