ATLANTA – The Millsaps baseball program ignited the SAA during the regular and postseason. A total of seven student-athletes who dominated on the diamond were named to the 2023 Southern Athletic Association All-Conference Teams, the league office revealed on Monday.
Austin Arceneaux made the All-SAA First Team (Catcher),
Stewart Bonnecaze (Pitcher),
Chris Hart (Third Base) and
Sam Pitre (Outfield) secured Second Team status, while first baseman
Case Page and pitchers
Nick Tarantino and
Wil Wood received Honorable Mention recognition.
Arceneaux, a senior from Rayne, La., was unbelievable at and behind the dish. In 36 games, Arceneaux led the team with a .372 batting average, which ranked fourth across the conference. He sits third in the SAA with 15 caught-stealing attempts. He also tallied 51 hits, 19 RBIs and two home runs.
Bonnecaze, a rising freshman from Baton Rouge, La., and the Millsaps Men's Newcomer of the Year, pitched lights out in 13 starts. He struck out 52 batters (16 looking) in 52.1 IP, ranking 10th in the league. During his first campaign, Bonnecaze garnered the fourth-lowest opposing batting average at .205 and sits eighth with a team-low 4.13 ERA. His five wins were second-highest for the Majors.
Hart, a native of Brandon, Miss., was one of three Majors to start in all 45 games for the Majors, as a graduate standout. He finished with the fifth-most doubles (13) and seventh-most hits as well as the third-highest total of hit by pitches (11). Hart was tied for the team-lead with three homers, including a crucial go-ahead shot that advanced Millsaps into the SAA Championship Weekend Semifinal. He batted .315 with 41 runs scored, 28 RBIs, 25 walks and recorded a team-best 12 stolen bases. It was the second consecutive season the Northwest Rankin and Millsaps graduate was recognized on the All-SAA Second Team.
Pitre, who started 44 times for the Majors, is currently tied atop the league with 33 walks and is fifth with a .477 on-base percentage. The Opelousas, La., native led the team with 57 hits (fifth in SAA) and was second with 40 runs and 28 RBIs. The senior also generated three home runs, 10 doubles and a team-best .475 slugging percentage. Among the conference, Pitre sits tenth with a .356 batting average. In 2021 Pitre made the All-SAA First Team and was a 2022 Honorable Mention student-athlete.
Page started all 45 games for the Majors during his junior season. He accumulated a team-high 34 RBIs to along with 21 runs, 48 hits and 10 hit by pitches. During the 2023 season, Page ranked third with 268 putouts at first base and eighth with 18 fielding double plays. He secured a spot on the All-SAA Team for the second time after being named to the 2022 Second Team.
Tarantino, a sophomore from Covington, La., made 19 appearances and threw 48.1 innings. He finished 3-0 to go along with three saves. Tarantino registered the third-most strikeouts (62) and second-most looking (21), including a career-high 11-strikeout outing in the SAA Tournament. He also finished in the top 10 in opposing batting average (.253) and ERA (4.47).
Wood, a senior from Memphis, Tenn. was a workhorse for the Majors leading the conference with 76.1 innings pitched. Wood ranks second in the SAA with a 7-5 mark, added a save and three complete games. Appearing in 16 games with 13 starts, Wood owns the fifth-most strikeouts (60), seventh-most strikeouts looking (16) and posted the sixth-lowest opponent batting average at .249. Wood made the First Team in 2022 and Second Team in 2021.
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