GREENSBORO, N.C. -- Two University of the Incarnate Word baseball student-athletes -- freshman catcher Taylor Smith and senior pitcher Bernie Martinez -- were selected for the 2019 American Baseball Coaches Association (ABCA)/Rawlings NCAA Div. I All-Region Team, announced the organization. Both Cardinals earned second team honors for the Midwest region.
 
The all-region teams are voted on by members of the ABCA and the process is led by the ABCA NCAA Div. I All-America Committee, which is chaired by Tommy Raffo of Arkansas State University.
 
Smith, the 2019 Southland Conference Freshman of the Year and a second team all-conference selection, racked up 67 hits, 49 runs and 57 RBI to go along with a .322 batting average in his first season with the Cardinals. He led the conference with 16 home runs, which, when combined with 13 doubles, gave him a team-leading .615 slugging percentage.
 
The Georgetown, Texas, native had four games with multiple home runs (two against Notre Dame on Feb. 23, two against Texas A&M-Corpus Christi on March 10, two against Massachusetts on March 12, two against Central Arkansas on May 3). He also recorded three perfect outings (4-for-4 against UT-Arlington on March 3, 5-for-5 against Central Arkansas on May 3, 2-for-2 against Texas on May 14).
 
Martinez was a second team All-Southland selection after leading the Cardinals with a 2.11 ERA. This ERA also ranked second in the SLC. Coming in primarily in relief, Martinez recorded a league-leading nine wins and seven saves.
 
The senior from Laredo, Texas, racked up 74 strikeouts in 81.0 innings pitched. He limited opponents to a .228 batting average and allowed just 19 earned runs throughout his 22 appearances.
 
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