Three Wonder Boys Named All-Arkansas

Natural State Baseball, a blog dedicated to covering the game at all levels in the state of Arkansas, has honored three members of the Arkansas Tech baseball program for their play during the 2011 season.

Arkansas Tech center fielder Matt Johnson was named the 2011 collegiate player of the year in the state of Arkansas.

Johnson and Arkansas Tech left fielder Madison Beaird both earned a spot on the Natural State Baseball All-Arkansas Collegiate team, while Tech third baseman Nick Makris collected All-Arkansas honorable mention honors.

Johnson (photographed, top left) hit .454 with nine home runs and 50 runs batted in during his senior season with the Wonder Boys. He stole 37 bases, was named Gulf South Conference West Division player of the year, won a Rawlings NCAA Division II South Region Gold Glove award and became just the third All-America baseball player in Arkansas Tech history.

Beaird (photographed, top right) had a batting average of .341 in 2011. The sophomore from Russellville notched three home runs and 41 RBIs on his way to earning All-GSC West Division honors.

Makris (photographed, bottom) led the Wonder Boys with 55 RBIs during the recently completed season. He hit .371 with nine home runs as a senior.

Johnson, Beaird and Makris helped Arkansas Tech finish with an overall record of 32-19 and a second consecutive berth in the GSC Baseball Tournament during the 2011 campaign.

Head coach Dave Dawson and the Wonder Boys made it to the final day of the GSC Baseball Tournament for just the second time in school history by winning three consecutive elimination contests before falling to Harding 4-3 in the penultimate game.

Click here to view the complete 2011 Natural State Baseball All-Arkansas Collegiate team.

Click here to learn more about Arkansas Tech baseball.

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