May 28, 2012

HOOVER, Ala. — Kentucky senior third baseman Thomas McCarthy has been named to the 2012 Southeastern Conference All-Tournament Team, it was announced.

A native of Corvallis, Ore., McCarthy hit .462 (6-for-13) during the three games in Hoover, Ala., helping lead UK to its best finish in the modern-era history of the tournament (1998-present). UK posted wins over Ole Miss and Mississippi State, before falling to the Bulldogs in the semifinals, 2-1 on Saturday, with MSU going on to claim the title with a 3-0 win over Vanderbilt on Sunday.

McCarthy, a 6-foot-2, 200-pound right-handed hitter, tied an SEC Tournament record with three doubles in a four-hit game against Mississippi State on Thursday, a 5-1 UK win. He is the first UK player to be named to the SEC All-Tournament Team since Sawyer Carroll and Chris McClendon were tabbed to the team in 2008.

On the year, McCarthy has hit .309 with 19 doubles, five homers and 30 RBI, a year after hitting .411 in SEC play to earn first-team All-SEC honors, the first UK third baseman named first-team All-SEC since 1972. A finalist for the Lowe’s Senior CLASS Award, McCarthy hit .315 during UK’s 20-13 overall record against SEC teams, with 13 doubles, two homers and 13 RBI.

Kentucky (43-16) – which led the SEC eight of 10 weeks and finished one game away from claiming the regular season title – will find out if it is included in the NCAA Tournament’s field of 64 at 12 p.m. ET on Monday during a 60-minute show of ESPNU.

2012 All-SEC Tournament Team
P-Brian Johnson, Florida
P-Jonathan Holder, Mississippi State
C-Spencer Navin, Vanderbilt  
1B-Matt Snyder, Ole Miss
2B-Casey Turgeon, Florida
3B-Thomas McCarthy, Kentucky

SS-Adam Frazier, Mississippi State
OF-Connor Harrell, Vanderbilt; Mike Yastrzemski, Vanderbilt
OF-Mason Katz, LSU; Justin Shafer, Florida
OF-Demarcus Henderson, Mississippi State
DH-Brian Johnson, Florida