AUSTIN, Texas - On Thursday, the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association (NCBWA) named Ouachita Baptist's Davis Ward an honorable mention All-American.
Ward has hauled in the accolades this season. He opened the year by earning the NCBWA National Pitcher of the Week in the opening week of the 2014 season after he outdueled St. Edward's' Brannon Easterling, the 2013 College Baseball Lineup Division II Josh Willingham Most Valuable Player, and a 2014 NCBWA First-Team pitcher, 1-0. He won a pair of NCBWA Central Region Pitcher of the Week awards during the season.
2014 NCBWA All-America Team
After compiling a 9-3 record during the regular season, a record that included a 4-1 mark against nationally-ranked teams, he won his second consecutive Great American Conference Pitcher of the Year award. He beat No. 3 Arkansas Tech at the GAC Championships for his fifth win against a nationally-ranked foe. In six starts against ranked teams, he posted a 5-1 record with a 1.55 ERA. He struck out 44 against only six walks in 46.1 innings.
Ward finished the year 10-4 with seven complete games and four shutouts. He struck out a career-high 87 batters in 110.2 innings pitched. He finished his OBU career with 26 wins to tie him with Steve Smith (2005-08) for the most career victories by a Tiger pitcher.
Following the end of his season, Ward has earned First-Team All-Central Region honors from the NCBWA, Daktronics and Rawlings/American Baseball Coaches Association. He became a semifinalist for the Brett Tomko D-II Pitcher of the Year and made the Rawlings/ABCA Central Region Gold Glove Team.