McLennan baseball players racking up preseason honors

Six McLennan Community College baseball players have been named to preseason honors lists released by the NJCAA.
 
Pitcher Paul Kirkpatrick and Zach Sullivan along with catcher Cory Voss were named to the NJCAA Division I Top 4-Year Transfers Southwest District list. Kirkpatrick, an Austin native, earned a 3-2 pitching record with a 6.61 ERA and 39 strikeouts in 20 games last season at Wake Forest University. Robinson graduate Zach Sullivan appeared in 23 games at Texas State University last year, recording a .275 batting average and .857 fielding percentage. Voss was the Mountain West Co-Freshman of the Year, Collegiate Baseball Newspaper and NCWBA Freshman All-American selection at the University of New Mexico last season. The Pueblo, Colorado, native appeared in 53 games for the Lobos, recording a .345 batting average with 14 doubles, five triples, five homeruns and 35 RBIs.
 
Pitcher Palmer Wenzel, catcher Nic Motley and third baseman Brendan Venter were named to the NJCAA Division I Top Incoming Freshman Southwest District list. Wenzel was an honorable mention all-district and academic all-district selection at Boerne-Samuel V. Champion High School. Motley was a first-team all-district and all-state selection at Southlake Carroll, recording a .438 batting average with 46 RBIs. Venter, a Flower Mound native, recorded a .417 batting average with 30 RBIs and was a two-time district MVP at Edward S. Marcus High School.
 
The Highlanders open the 2016 season at home Jan. 29 at 1 p.m. against Wharton County College.