Baseball | 5/25/2011 4:19:00 PM

ROCHESTER, NY - Seniors Ed Hughes (Jamesville, NY/Jamesville-Dewitt) and Justin Smith (Livonia, NY/Livonia) of the RIT baseball team earned 2011 ABCA/Rawlings All-New York Region second team honors on Wednesday.  It was the first All-Region honor for both student-athletes. 

Hughes played in all 35 games at shortstop this season, leading the squad with 27 runs batted in, while hitting .371.  He nearly equaled his single-season record for assists in a season with 115, one shy of the mark set in 2010.  Hughes also chipped in offensively with six stolen bases, five doubles, and three triples.  He finishes his career tied for ninth all-time at RIT with 76 runs batted in, and is in the top-10 with 183 total bases, and 135 hits.  Hughes is a four-time All-Empire 8 selection, earning first team honors in 2011, second team honors in 2008 and 2010, and honorable mention accolades in 2009.

The awards keep rolling in for Smith.  Earlier in the week, he was named a CoSIDA/Capital One First Team Academic All-American.  Smith enjoyed another excellent season for the Tigers in 2011, having played in and started all 35 games in centerfield, while serving as the lead-off hitter. He led the team with a .393 batting average, with team-best totals of 65 total bases, 53 hits, 29 runs scored, and 21 stolen bases. In addition, Smith contributed five doubles, two triples, one home run, and 21 runs batted in.

Smith finishes his career as RIT's all-time leader with 63 career stolen bases. in 2009, Smith tied the single-season record by stealing 23 bases. Smith is in the top-five all-time at RIT with 160 hits, 115 runs scored, and 200 total bases.  He is a three-time All-Empire 8 selection, having earned second team honors in 2009 and first team honors in 2010 and 2011.

The Tigers finished the 2011 season with an 16-19 record.