Sandburg’s Blackford Named 1st-Team All-America by The JUCO Baseball Blog
Aaron Frey
Wednesday, June 12, 2019 3:20 PM
Athletics
Galesburg, IL
Newly graduated Carl Sandburg College shortstop Braedon Blackford (Peoria, Ill./Notre Dame) has been named an NJCAA Division II First-Team All-American by The JUCO Baseball Blog.
Blackford led the Chargers in every major offensive category as a sophomore and finished the season third in NJCAA Division II in on-base percentage (.571), third in in slugging percentage (.919) and 10th in batting average (.447).
Blackford, who earlier this week announced a commitment to play next season at Illinois State, also ranked 22nd nationally with 13 home runs and 26th with 61 runs scored over 168 plate appearances. Additionally, the Chargers’ leadoff hitter collected 15 doubles, 54 RBIs, 36 walks and 113 total bases.
Blackford earned All-Arrowhead Conference and First-Team All-Region IV honors last month after helping Sandburg to a 27-13-1 overall record and its second straight Arrowhead Conference championship. He also was named the NJCAA Division II Player of the Week for April 1-7.
Blackford this summer is playing with the Lafayette Aviators of the Prospect League. In 10 games entering Wednesday, Blackford is hitting .351/.447/.649 with two home runs, eight RBIs, five doubles and seven runs scored. He belted a walk-off homer in the Aviators’ 9-8 victory over Danville on June 7.
With Blackford heading to Illinois State next season, he’ll be the fourth Charger in the last three years on a Division I roster, joining Nolan Ard (Class of 2017, Western Illinois), Jack Gray (2018, Western Illinois) and Travis Ausbury (2018, Western Illinois).
The JUCO Baseball Blog NJCAA Division II All-America Teams
Follow Sandburg Athletics on Twitter
Like Sandburg Athletics on Facebook
Braedon Blackford