Vasha Hunt | Opelika-Auburn News
Auburn first baseman Hunter Morris, shown here during a win over Florida State last season, was named a preseason First-Team All-American by Baseball America.
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Auburn’s Hunter Morris was tabbed a preseason First-Team All-America choice by Baseball America, the organization announced on Friday.
A junior, Morris heads into the 2010 season with a .318 career batting average having collected 22 doubles and 23 home runs, driving in 82 during his first two seasons at Auburn.
“This is a tremendous honor for Hunter as he has worked extremely hard to improve his overall game,” Auburn head coach John Pawlowski said. “He will play a major part in helping the Tigers get back to postseason play. Hunter has made Auburn baseball proud with this preseason accolade.”
Morris was a Baseball America Freshman All-American in 2008 when he hit .351 with 15 doubles, 11 home runs and 49 RBI en route to being named the Southeastern Conference Freshman of the Year.
“It’s a great honor to be named an All-American,” Morris said. “It is preseason though and I have a lot to live up to. It is not an added pressure, just a standard that I set for myself. I am glad to be recognized, but now I have to go out and play to my capability. I hope that I can help lead Auburn to someplace we haven’t been in a while.”
Morris was one of 13 Southeastern Conference players on the three preseason teams and one of seven on the first team.
Morris is Auburn’s first Baseball America preseason All-American since Mike Bianucci was a third-team selection in 2008. The last player to be named an All-American at the end of a season was John Madden, who was named to the NCBWA Third Team. Auburn’s last Baseball America All-Americans were First Team selections Todd Faulkner and Gabe Gross in 2000.
Auburn opens the season Feb. 19 at 3 p.m. when it plays host to Southeast Missouri State.
| Date | Opponent | Location | Time | Score | |
| 9/04 | vs. Arkansas State | Auburn | 6:00 | ||
| 9/09 | at Mississippi State | Starkville | 6:30 | ||
| 9/18 | vs. Clemson | Auburn | 6:00 | ||
| 9/25 | vs. South Carolina | Auburn | TBA | ||
| 10/02 | vs. Louisiana-Monroe | Auburn | TBA | ||
| 10/09 | at Kentucky | Lexington | TBA | ||
| 10/16 | vs. Arkansas | Auburn | TBA | ||
| 10/23 | vs. LSU | Auburn | TBA | ||
| 10/30 | at Mississippi | Oxford | TBA | ||
| 11/06 | vs. Chattanooga (HC) | Auburn | TBA | ||
| 11/13 | vs. Georgia | Auburn | TBA | ||
| 11/26 | at Alabama | Tuscaloosa | 1:30 | ||
| 12/04 | SEC Championship | Atlanta | 3:00 | ||