BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – The Alabama State University baseball team landed seven players on the 2017 Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) All-Conference team, including Pitcher of the Year, Relief Pitcher of the Year and Freshman of the Year, the conference announced on Monday.
 
"I am extremely happy to see our players get rewarded," Alabama State head coach Jose` Vazquez said. "They have worked very hard to put themselves in this situation. Above all, they have put the team first at all times. I can't wait to see them compete in the SWAC Tournament."
 
Alabama State had the most players earn all-conference honors with seven.  Jackson State and Grambling State each had five.  Prairie View A&M and Alcorn State each had two, while Alabama A&M, Southern and Texas Southern each had one player earn all-conference honors.
 
Among the individual honors, Tyler Howe was selected the SWAC Pitcher of the Year, while Austin Bizzle was named the SWAC Relief Pitcher of the Year. Cage Cox picked up Freshman of the Year honors to give Alabama State three of the seven individual awards.
 
Howe, who was selected SWAC Pitcher of the Week on March 28 and was a SWAC Preseason First-Team selection, led the team in wins with a 7-4 record in 12 starts. He tossed three complete-games, and pitched in 78.0 innings with 83 strikeouts, which ranked second in the conference. This season, Howe became Alabama State's All-Time strikeout leader (228). He posted a 3.35 ERA with one shutout. The Lakeland, Fla. native ranked 13^th nationally in complete games and second in the conference. Also, he ranked third in the conference in victories.
 
Bizzle, who was selected to the 2017 SWAC Preseason Second Team as a reliever, posted a 6-0 record in 24 appearances, including 23 coming out of the bullpen. He led the team with four saves and recorded a team-best 1.92 ERA in 61.0 innings pitched with 63 strikeouts. The Panama City, Fla. native led the conference in numerous categories, including WHIP, hits allowed per nine innings and earned run averaged. Also, he ranked sixth in the conference in victories.
 
Cox, who was a two-time SWAC Hitter of the Week selection (March 15 and April 25), led the team in three categories: Batting Average (.356), runs scored (45) and hits (69). He registered 17 doubles, five home runs and two triples. Cox drove in 41 and scored 45 times. The Cairo, Ga. native ranked fifth in the SWAC in batting and first in doubles
 
Joining Howe and Cox on the All-SWAC First Team was catcher Chris Biocic and first baseman Gustavo Rios.
 
Biocic, who member of the SWAC Preseason First Team, batted .279 in 140 at-bats, with 39 hits, including six doubles, one triple and one home run. Defensively he recorded 222 putouts and 27 assists with a .996 fielding percentage.
 
Rios, A two-time SWAC Hitter of the Week selection (April 4 and April 11), led the team in runs batted in (45) and was tied for second in doubles (17). He registered a .314 batting average in 185 at-bats with 58 hits, 36 runs scored, one triple and nine home runs.
 
Joining Bizzle on the All-SWAC Second Team was second baseman Carlos Ocasio and outfielder Diandre Amion.
 
Ocasio, who was a SWAC Preseason First-Team selection as an outfielder, split duties this season at second base and center fielder. He has batted .302 in 212 at-bats with 64 hits, including 11 doubles and six home runs. He has scored 40 runs and drove in 32, while going 10-for-12 in stolen base attempts.
 
Amion, who was second on the team in batting with a .318 average in 151 at-bats, registered 48 hits, including six doubles, one triple and one home run. He scored 24 times and drove in 25 runs.
 
Alabama State opens up 2017 SWAC Tournament play on Wednesday against Prairie View A&M. First pitch from Wesley Barrow Stadium is set for 12 p.m.
 
 
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