SACRAMENTO, Calif. -- Senior John Acha and junior Craig Johnson were named to the 2004 Baseball Academic All-District VIII first team, it was announced today. The duo, who were two of 12 players selected, became the first members of the program to earn all-district honors since the Hornets joined the Div. I era in 1990. District VIII consists of Div. I schools in Alaska, Arizona, California, Hawaii, Idaho, Nevada, Oregon, Utah and Washington.To be selected to the Academic All-District team by the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA), athletes must be starters or important reserves with legitimate athletic credentials and have at least a 3.20 cumulative grade point average. Acha and Johnson are now eligible for selection to the Academic All-America team on June 1.
Acha, a general management major with a 3.42 gpa, is competing in his second season with the Hornet program after transferring from Modesto JC. The third baseman was leading the squad in most offensive categories until suffering a finger injury which forced him to sit out 12 games. Despite missing time, Acha still leads the Hornets with nine doubles, eight home runs and a .489 slugging percentage.
Acha is currently batting .308 with 56 hits, 32 RBI, 89 total bases, a .374 on-base percentage and eight stolen bases. On March 9, he was named NCAA Div. I Independent Player of the Week after finishing 7-for-16 (.438) with a double and two RBI in four games (at Cal, three at 16th-ranked Arizona). Acha became the first Hornet to receive player of the week accolades since the program moved to independent status in 2003. A Hornet Bookstore Student-Athlete of the Week selection on April 27, 2003, Acha was recently selected Hornet Male Senior Athlete of the Year.
As a junior, Acha batted .322 with 57 hits, nine doubles, three triples, two home runs, 24 RBI, 78 total bases and a .441 slugging percentage as a utility infielder. On April 5, 2003, he set the program single-game record by recording two triples in a game against Cal State Hayward.
Johnson, a psychology major with a 3.77 gpa, is competing in his first year with the program after transferring from Porterville JC. The right fielder is currently leading the squad with nine doubles, three triples, 37 RBI, 45 walks, a .449 on-base percentage, 10 sacrifice bunts, 16 stolen bases and six outfield assists.
On May 5, Johnson was named NCAA Div. I Independent Player of the Week after batting .615 (8-for-13) with five runs, three doubles, five RBI, 11 total bases, two walks, an .846 slugging percentage, a .722 on-base percentage, two stolen bases and no strikeouts in four games (Cal, three at San Jose State). On March 31, he was named NCAA Div. I Independent Newcomer of the Week after batting 7-for-14 (.500) with a triple, a home run, eight runs and seven RBI in a four-game sweep over Pacific. A Hornet Bookstore Student Athlete of the Week selection on March 28, Johnson is batting .307 with 59 hits, four home runs, 86 total bases and a .448 slugging percentage.
Sacramento State completes the 2004 season with a three-game series against Northern Colorado this weekend at Hornet Field. The first game will be on Friday, May 14, at 2:30 p.m. The series will continue on Saturday, May 15, at 1 p.m. before the finale on Sunday, May 16, at 1 p.m.
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