For Immediate Release: July 25, 2006
Contact: John Hartrick (hartrick@binghamton.edu)
Phone: 607-777-6800

Five BU baseball players earn all-star selection in summer league play

VESTAL, N.Y. - Five Binghamton University baseball players earned all-star honors in their respective summer leagues. Selected as all-stars were senior-to-be first baseman Brendon Hitchcock (Laceyville, Pa.), senior shortstop Justin Smucker (Bird-in-Hand, Pa.), junior pitcher Khalid Afify (Binghamton, N.Y.), junior pitcher Scott Diamond (Guelph, Ontario) and sophomore pitcher Jeff Dennis (North Syracuse, N.Y.).

Smucker, BU's 2006 co-MVP along with Hitchcock, is hitting .330 for the first place Kutztown Rockies of the Atlantic Collegiate Baseball League. He collected a two-run single in the all-star game.

Hitchcock, a two-time first team America East all-star, was selected from the Edenton Steamers (N.C.) of the Coastal Plain League. He has 20 RBI in 35 games this summer, including one in the all-star game.

Diamond also earned an all-star berth in the Coastal Plain League. The lefthander is 4-0 with a sparkling 0.69 earned run average for the Martinsville Mustangs (Va.).

Afify plays for the Elmira Pioneers of the New York Collegiate Baseball League. He was selected after sporting a 1.83 ERA. Afify has 31 strikeouts in 19.2 innings of relief work.

Dennis, a 6-foot-6 lefthander, earned an all-star spot after posting a 2-2 record for the Rock Hill Sox (S.C.) in the Southern Collegiate Baseball League. He has 25 strikeouts in 24.2 innings - and fanned two batters in his one inning of work at the all-star game.