Kruczynski tabbed preseason All-American by Collegiate Baseball

TUCSON, Ariz. – Senior pitcher Evan Kruczynski has been named a 2017 Preseason Third-Team All-America selection by Collegiate Baseball, the publication announced Monday afternoon.

The lefty, who earned All-America honors in 2016 from D1Baseball and Perfect Game, posted an 8-1 record with an American Athletic Conference best 2.01 ERA in 17 starts. He struck out 95, walked 27 and allowed 32 runs (26 earned) on 107 hits in 116.2 innings – which was second most on the school’s single-game charts.

Kruczynski became the 11th hurler to win the school’s pitching triple crown, leading the Pirates in wins, ERA and strikeouts. He tallied 14 quality starts (6.0 IP and three or less runs) and set a career high with 13 strikeouts against Tulane on April 8. The Franklin, Wisc. native earned first-team all-conference honors and was one of five Pirates named to the Charlottesville All-Regional Team. He picked up the program’s first-ever super regional win (8-6), allowing three runs (all earned) on six hits in 5.2 innings against No. 5 National Seed Texas Tech in the Lubbock Super Regional.

The Pirates will begin spring practice on Friday, Jan. 27 and are set to open the 2017 season on the road at Ole Miss on Friday, Feb. 17 with a 5 p.m. (ET) scheduled first pitch.