NIACC's Ball earns second-team all-American honors

MASON CITY - The honors keep piling up for NIACC's Bryce Ball.

First, the freshman slugger was a first-team all-NJCAA Region XI selection.

Then the first baseman was one of six ICCAC players selected to the NJCAA North Plains all-district team.

Now, Ball became the school's 11th baseball all-American as he was a second-team NJCAA Division II all-American selection.

It is the third straight season that NIACC has landed a baseball player on an all-American team. In 2016, outfielder Malique Ziegler was a first-team outfield selection and shortstop Robbie Glendinning was a second-team selection in 2015.

Ball hit .419 (85 hits) with 22 doubles, seven home runs, 52 RBIs, 47 walks and scored 49 runs during his freshman campaign with the Trojans.

Ball's 85 hits ranked 11th among all NJCAA Division II players in the 2017 season.

The .419 batting average is the seventh best in NIACC school history, the 22 doubles is tied for third on the school's single-season list and the 85 hits is fifth best in school history.

NIACC all-Americans

NJCAA all-American

1978 - Lance Platz (infield) honorable mention

NJCAA Division II all-Americans

1998 - Jamie Tepley (designated hitter) third team

2002 - Travis Rima (outfield) third team

2004 - Andrew Plemmons (outfield) third team

2005 - Anthony Alberts (infield) third team

2006 - Danny Reed (outfield) first team

2007 - Tom Heithoff (designated hitter) third team

2008 - Erik Smith (infield) second team

2015 - Robbie Glendinning (infield) second team

2016 - Malique Ziegler (outfield) first team

2017 - Bryce Ball (infield) second team