WALNUT CREEK, Calif. – The 24^th-ranked UC San Diego baseball team had seven members named to the 2007 California Collegiate Athletic Association All-Conference team.  Matt Lawson and Matt Cantele were UCSD’s representatives on the all-conference first-team.  Lawson leads the team with a .373 average and has hit a school-record 21 doubles.  Cantele also earned first-team honors as his 22 homeruns is a school record and he is tied for the most homeruns in the NCAA Division II.  The all-conference second-team selections included David Morehead, Trevor Decker, Garrett Imeson and Vance Albitz.  Derek Barham was an honorable-mention selection.  UCSD faces Sonoma State, ranked No. 2 in the nation, on May 10 at 3:00 p.m. at the CCAA Tournament hosted by Cal State L.A.

Sonoma State swept the major awards, including Player of the Year (B.J. Collom), Pitcher of the Year (Brent Lysander) and Coach of the Year (John Goelz).  The Freshman of the Year went to Brian Hernandez of Cal State L.A. and the Newcomer of the Year went to Sonoma State’s Tyrese McDaniel.

Cantele was just one of three sophomores (the rest are seniors) to be selected to the all-conference first-team.  He enters the CCAA tournament with a school record 22 homeruns, a .352 average, 140 total bases, a .795 slugging percentage and a .993 fielding percentage.  Cantele is also tied for the school record with 38 walks this season, 10 of which have been intentional.  This is Cantele’s second all-conference selection in as many years.

Lawson’s 21 doubles are a school record.  He is also third on the team with nine homeruns and leads UCSD with 16 stolen bases.  His 128 total bases is second on the team.

Decker leads UCSD with a team-high eight wins (8-1) this season.  His 53 strikeouts is also second on the team.  Just a sophomore, this is Decker’s second, all-conference selection.

Morehead earns his second, all-conference selection, after being named two years ago as a sophomore.  The senior catcher has thrown out 17-of-34 base runners this season.  Morehead is hitting .300 with 12 doubles, seven homeruns and 45 RBI.  He has also stolen six bases and has a .993 fielding percentage.

Imeson, last year’s CCAA Freshman of the Year, earned his second consecutive selection to the all-conference team.  The sophomore from Stockton, Calif. is second on the team with a .358 average and is tied (Lawson) for the team lead with 76 hits.  Imeson has added 19 doubles and 12 stolen bases this year.

Albitz, an All-CCAA second-team selection, was the only freshman to make either the first or second all-conference team.  The shortstop has spent most of the season atop the Tritons’ lineup with a .335 average, 61 hits, 11 doubles and is the toughest Triton to strikeout, having whiffed only 10 times in 182 at-bats.  Albitz also leads the team with 10 sac bunts this year.

Barham has set the school record this season with eight saves.  The sophomore closer sports a 3.25 ERA with 19 strikeouts in 27.2 innings pitched.  Opponents are batting with a .252 average against Barham.