April 12, 2017

Golden Spikes Award Midseason Watch List | Twitter: @UVABaseball | Coach O’Connor Twitter | Facebook | Instagram

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. ÃÆ’Æ‘¢ÃƒÆ’¢’¬” Virginia’s Adam Haseley (Jr., Windermere, Fla.) and Pavin Smith (Jr., Jupiter, Fla.) have been named to the 40-player midseason Golden Spikes Award Watch List, which is presented by USA Baseball to the top amateur baseball player in the country.

Virginia is one of six schools to have two student-athletes on the midseason watch list, joining Auburn, LSU, North Carolina, Oregon State and Texas.

On the midseason watch list for the second straight year, Haseley is having a monster season and leads the ACC in batting (.402) and runs (43) and ranks among the ACC’s top 10 in nine offensive categories. He owns 10 home runs and 31 RBI with a .503 on-base percentage this year while hitting in the 3-hole in UVA’s batting order.

In addition to serving as UVA’s primary starting center fielder, the two-way standout also is 5-1 with a 3.54 ERA in eight starts as the Cavaliers’ Sunday starting pitcher. He ranks eighth in the ACC in innings (48 1/3) and is tied for third in wins.

Smith also is having a tremendous season, batting .345 with 10 home runs and 49 RBI as the Cavaliers’ cleanup hitter. The first baseman/outfielder ranks second in the ACC and fourth nationally in RBI this year. He also ranks among the ACC’s top 10 in several categories: fourth in total bases (85), sixth in home runs, seventh in hits (48), eighth in runs (36) and 10th in slugging (.612).

Despite being among the nation’s top power threats, Smith and Haseley are two of the toughest players to strike out. Smith has five strikeouts in 139 at bats (160 plate appearances) and is the fourth toughest to strike out in Division I baseball. Haseley has 13 strikeouts in 132 at bats (160 plate appearances).

They are the only players nationally with at least 10 home runs to have fewer than 14 strikeouts. The two are tied for 22nd nationally in home runs.

The semifinalists for the award will be announced on May 31, and the finalists will be unveiled on June 14. The Golden Spikes Award trophy will be presented on June 29 in Los Angeles.

No. 12 Virginia (27-8, 8-7 ACC) heads to Blacksburg, Va., Thursday through Saturday (April 13-15) to play Virginia Tech in a three-game ACC series.