Special to the Dispatch

WEXFORD, Pa. — Bethany College catcher and Dooly County native Brent Owens was named first team All-Presidents Athletic Conference by the league earlier this week.

Owens led the Bison in nine offensive categories this season. Included in those numbers was a .378 batting average, which ranked him ninth in the PAC, and 34 RBIs to place him in a tie for fourth in the circuit.

The other statistics he is team in were hits (48), runs (27), doubles (nine), home runs (four), sacrifice flies (three), slugging percentage (.543) and on-base percentage (.450).

During the year, Owens had 14 games where he collected two or more hits, including a career-high 5-for-5 effort in an April 14 victory over Saint

Vincent (Pa.) College.

The BC backstop’s RBIs also came in bunches through the campaign as he had four games with four or more runs knocked in, highlighted

The outstanding baseball season wrapped up a tremendous senior year for Owens who was also the Bison starting quarterback in the fall. He threw for 1,400 yards and 13 touchdowns while setting a new school single-season record by completing 62 percent (127-205) of his passes. His football season ended prematurely because of a broken collarbone suffered in the ninth game of the year.

Owens’ comeback from that misfortune to produce the way he did on the diamond is what impresses Bethany head baseball coach Rick Carver the most.

“When you consider what Brent went through just to play this year and then see what he accomplished, it makes you want to say wow!,” Carver said.

“He suffered a couple setbacks while coming back from the injury, but he never used it as an excuse. In fact, he would get upset when we used him as the DH because he wanted to be out there.

“Obviously, we feel he’s very deserving and while we will miss his production next year, we will miss his character and leadership skills the most.”

Owens, who graduated May 5 with a degree in economics, is the son of Joe and Wanda Owens.