Baseball Trio Named To NCCSIA All-State Team

HICKORY – Postseason laurels continued to be plentiful for the UNCP baseball team on Tuesday afternoon as first baseman Seth Kivett, outfielder Kevin Dietrich and starting pitcher Matt McGovern were among 12 student-athletes named to the North Carolina Collegiate Sports Information Association (NCCSIA) All-State College Division Baseball Team, the organization announced.

Eight institutions were represented on the listing, but the Braves and Catawba paced the field with three selections apiece. The laurels marked the second-straight season that UNCP has sent multiple selections the squad as well.

Kivett, a junior from Bear Creek, hit .343 (72-for-210) with 27 extra-base hits (school record 16 HR), 50 RBI and 57 runs scored for UNCP in 53 starts at first base this season, with an additional start at third base as well. The newcomer was the only Brave to start all 54 games en route to registering 25 multi-hit and 13 multi-RBI outings, while also posting a team-best 16 multiple-run games. Kivett committed just three errors in 480 total chances in the field this season for a .994 fielding percentage.

McGovern was 9-0 on the mound for the Braves this season, including a 7-0 mark against conference opponents. The junior from Ottawa, Canada, ranked third in the PBC with his 2.63 ERA in 75.1 innings pitched. He tossed two complete games, one of which was a shutout, while holding opponents to a .260 batting average and striking out 59. McGovern was 4-0 against nationally-ranked opponents and pitched seven or more innings in seven of his 12 appearances.

Dietrich, a Charlotte native, established new program bests for both hits (92) and home runs (16) in hitting .418 for the Braves this season with 68 RBI and 59 runs scored. Included in his numbers was team-bests in both multiple-hit (26) and multiple-RBI (20) outings, as well as 16 multiple-run (16) contests. He also finished his senior season with a perfect fielding percentage (1.000) in 107 total chances from his centerfield position.

Founded in 2002, NCCSIA is comprised of sports information professionals from North Carolina’s NCAA Division I, II, III, NAIA and independent institutions for the purpose of promoting college athletics in the state. Membership is open to anyone affiliated with a college, university or conference located in North Carolina whose responsibilities include sports information.