Antonio Frias Named to NJCAA National Baseball Team to Compete in NBC World Series

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo., July 11, 2018 – Fresh off being the Monroe College baseball team's first-ever NJCAA All-American, southpaw pitcher Antonio Frias was announced as a selection to the 2018 NJCAA National Baseball Team on Wednesday. The NJCAA National Baseball Team will compete in the 84th annual National Baseball Congress (NBC) World Series in Wichita, Kan. from Aug. 1-11. Guided by Tyler Junior College head coach Doug Wren, a roster of 13 pitchers, two catchers, five infielders, four outfielders, and one utility player will take on top talent from around the world. 20 different NJCAA schools are represented from 10 different states and all three divisions. The team's coaching staff also includes assistant coaches Ryan Cougill (Yavapai) and Sam Temple (Hinds), general manager Joe Bauth (Erie) and athletic trainer Eddy McGuire (Tyler). The NBC World Series will be held at Lawrence-Dumont Stadium, which has hosted the event since 1935. The NJCAA team finished fourth in 2016 with a 3-1 record, and was named the Most Outstanding Offensive Team. Frias' had already made history when he was named the first-ever All-American in the history of the Monroe College baseball program. Frias had previously been named the 2018 NJCAA Div. I Region XV Player of the Year in addition to being picked to the NJCAA Div. I All-Region XV Team. Frias proved to be one of the best pitchers in all of NJCAA Div. I this season. He earned 2018 NJCAA Div. I Region XV Player of the Year honors, and was selected to the All-Region XV Team. He finished the year ranked seventh in the nation with a 1.69 ERA, finishing the season with an 8-1 overall mark. Frias' strikeouts-per-nine ratio of 15.75 ranked him No. 4 in the country, while his 112 strikeouts were tied for 11th most this season. Opposing batters hit just .150 against him in 2018. Frias was incredibly impressive throughout the season, allowing more than two earned runs in a start just one time in 10 appearances. He had five scoreless outings, including a complete-game shutout against USC Sumter in the second round of the Eastern District Championships, in which he struck out 16 batters to match Justo for the Mustangs' season-high mark. Frias also yielded two hits or fewer in six of his starts, and had double-digit strikeouts on eight occasions. He also struck out 10 batters in the Mustangs' first-ever Junior College World Series contest against No. 6 San Jacinto College North. Frias, a native of Panama City, Panama, struck out 169 batters in 110.1 career innings with the Mustangs. He finished his two seasons at Monroe with an 11-6 overall record and a two-year ERA of 3.02. Frias will continue his collegiate career at Faulkner University (Ala.) of the NAIA. ABOUT THE ATHLETIC PROGRAM AT MONROE COLLEGE The athletic program at Monroe College encompasses a total of 28 teams competing across nine sports. There are 18 varsity and junior varsity programs, as well as club men's and women's rugby, and the newly added club men's volleyball team, competing on the New Rochelle campus as the Monroe Mustangs (NJCAA Division I). The Monroe Express, based out of the Bronx campus as of the fall of 2017, has seven teams competing at the NJCAA Division III level. For more information about the Monroe Mustangs, please visit us at www.MonroeCollegeMustangs.com or follow us on social media: Facebook (Monroe College Athletics), Twitter (@Monroe_Mustangs) and Instagram (@monroemustangs).