University of the PACIFIC

After a month into the Division I baseball season, the College Baseball Foundation has compiled its annual Wallace Award Watch List, which recognizes the top shortstops in the nation. On Tuesday, March 23, senior Ben Gorang (Turlock, Calif.) of the Pacific baseball team was named to the list.

The Wallace Award, sponsored by Mizuno, recognizes the nation's top shortstop and will be presented on July 2 in Lubbock, Texas, as part of the College Baseball Awards Show. Wallace Award committee co-chairs Kevin Dunagan and Tyler Young worked closely with the staff at the College Baseball Blog to ensure the best Division I shortstops were included.

Through the non-conference season, Gorang sits as the Tigers' fourth-best hitter, as he is batting .386 at the plate. Additionally, he is third on the team with 22 hits, has compiled a .474 slugging percentage and a .403 on base percentage. In the field the senior shortstop anchors the defense, and has only tallied on error in 77 chances for a .987 fielding percentage.

Included in the College Baseball Foundation's watch list are three Big West Conference shortstops: Gorang from Pacific, Matt Valaika of UC Santa Barbara and Christian Colon from Cal State Fullerton.

The complete watch list release can be found here.