Liberty’s Blair and Marsh Selected to ABCA/Rawlings All-Region Team
6/9/2026 4:12:00 PM | Baseball
LYNCHBURG, Va. – Liberty right-hander Ben Blair and shortstop Tanner Marsh have been named to the 2026 ABCA/Rawlings NCAA Division I Atlantic All-Region Second Team.
The ABCA Atlantic Region team is voted on by member coaches of the American Baseball Coaches Association of the region. The Atlantic consists of 41 D1 schools in the states of North Carolina, South Carolina and Virginia.
Blair and Marsh become the first Flames to be selected to the Atlantic All-Region team since pitcher Trevor DeLaite was named to the 2021 Atlantic All-Region First Team.
Blair, the 2026 CUSA Pitcher of the Year, became only the second player in program history to be selected to the Golden Spikes Award Midseason Watch List.
A 2026 National Pitcher of the Year Semifinalist, Blair posted a 7-5 record with a 3.53 ERA over 94 1/3 innings. In 16 starts, the junior struck out 113 and walked 17 to finish the year with a stellar 6.65 strikeout-to-walk ratio. The right-hander held opponents to a .224 batting average, yielded 1.62 walks per nine innings and had a 1.03 WHIP.
The Gretna, Va., native finished among the national leaders in several categories. The junior finished the year among the nation's leaders in strikeouts (22nd), strikeout-to-walk ratio (8th), WHIP (18th) and walks allowed per nine innings (23rd).
In addition, the right-hander was named the CUSA Pitcher of the Week three times this season (Feb. 16, March 2 & March 23) and was selected to the CUSA All-Conference first team for the second year in a row. Blair finished the year as the CUSA leader in innings pitched and strikeouts. He was also among the league leaders in wins (5th), ERA (4th), opponent batting average (5th) and fewest walks issued (4th).
Blair's 113 strikeouts for the year place him second on Liberty's single-season record list. In addition, he is third on the Flames all-time career strikeout list with 249.
Marsh, the 2026 CUSA Player of the Year, was one of 50 of the nation's best shortstops named a 2026 Brooks Wallace Award Semifinalist by the College Baseball Foundation. The top 50 shortstops were selected based on both their offensive and defensive production during the 2026 season.
Also selected the 2026 CUSA Defensive Player of the Year, Marsh led the Flames with a .336 batting average, 89 hits and a school-record 70 runs scored. Liberty's leadoff hitter also led Liberty with 18 doubles, five triples, 23 stolen bases and 24 multi-hit games. The junior finished the year with 44 RBI, a .498 slugging percentage, a .420 on-base percentage and 40 walks.
Defensively, Marsh, who has started every game of his Liberty career, committed seven errors in 259 chances for a .969 fielding percentage this past season. The Asheboro, N.C., native had 153 assists.
Marsh finished the year among the national leaders in runs scored (24th) and hits (19th). Defensively, he finished the year fifth nationally with 14.31 Defensive Runs Saved.
The shortstop finished 2026 leading CUSA in runs scored, hits and defensive assists. Marsh was also among the CUSA leaders in batting average (7th), triples (2nd), walks (8th) and stolen bases (4th).
Marsh set a new program record for runs scored in a season with 70. In addition, his season hit total of 89 ties him for eighth on the single-season list.
He became the 22nd player in Liberty history to record 200 or more hits for his career, as Marsh finished 2026 with 215 career hits. In addition, he has scored 162 career runs, placing him eighth on the program's all-time list.
Blair and Marsh helped Liberty tie the program record for wins in a season, posting a 43-21 record and receiving an at-large selection to the NCAA Athens, Ga., Regional. The Flames advanced to their third regional final before being eliminated by College World Series-bound Georgia.
The ABCA Atlantic Region team is voted on by member coaches of the American Baseball Coaches Association of the region. The Atlantic consists of 41 D1 schools in the states of North Carolina, South Carolina and Virginia.
Blair and Marsh become the first Flames to be selected to the Atlantic All-Region team since pitcher Trevor DeLaite was named to the 2021 Atlantic All-Region First Team.
Blair, the 2026 CUSA Pitcher of the Year, became only the second player in program history to be selected to the Golden Spikes Award Midseason Watch List.
A 2026 National Pitcher of the Year Semifinalist, Blair posted a 7-5 record with a 3.53 ERA over 94 1/3 innings. In 16 starts, the junior struck out 113 and walked 17 to finish the year with a stellar 6.65 strikeout-to-walk ratio. The right-hander held opponents to a .224 batting average, yielded 1.62 walks per nine innings and had a 1.03 WHIP.
The Gretna, Va., native finished among the national leaders in several categories. The junior finished the year among the nation's leaders in strikeouts (22nd), strikeout-to-walk ratio (8th), WHIP (18th) and walks allowed per nine innings (23rd).
In addition, the right-hander was named the CUSA Pitcher of the Week three times this season (Feb. 16, March 2 & March 23) and was selected to the CUSA All-Conference first team for the second year in a row. Blair finished the year as the CUSA leader in innings pitched and strikeouts. He was also among the league leaders in wins (5th), ERA (4th), opponent batting average (5th) and fewest walks issued (4th).
Blair's 113 strikeouts for the year place him second on Liberty's single-season record list. In addition, he is third on the Flames all-time career strikeout list with 249.
Marsh, the 2026 CUSA Player of the Year, was one of 50 of the nation's best shortstops named a 2026 Brooks Wallace Award Semifinalist by the College Baseball Foundation. The top 50 shortstops were selected based on both their offensive and defensive production during the 2026 season.
Also selected the 2026 CUSA Defensive Player of the Year, Marsh led the Flames with a .336 batting average, 89 hits and a school-record 70 runs scored. Liberty's leadoff hitter also led Liberty with 18 doubles, five triples, 23 stolen bases and 24 multi-hit games. The junior finished the year with 44 RBI, a .498 slugging percentage, a .420 on-base percentage and 40 walks.
Defensively, Marsh, who has started every game of his Liberty career, committed seven errors in 259 chances for a .969 fielding percentage this past season. The Asheboro, N.C., native had 153 assists.
Marsh finished the year among the national leaders in runs scored (24th) and hits (19th). Defensively, he finished the year fifth nationally with 14.31 Defensive Runs Saved.
The shortstop finished 2026 leading CUSA in runs scored, hits and defensive assists. Marsh was also among the CUSA leaders in batting average (7th), triples (2nd), walks (8th) and stolen bases (4th).
Marsh set a new program record for runs scored in a season with 70. In addition, his season hit total of 89 ties him for eighth on the single-season list.
He became the 22nd player in Liberty history to record 200 or more hits for his career, as Marsh finished 2026 with 215 career hits. In addition, he has scored 162 career runs, placing him eighth on the program's all-time list.
Blair and Marsh helped Liberty tie the program record for wins in a season, posting a 43-21 record and receiving an at-large selection to the NCAA Athens, Ga., Regional. The Flames advanced to their third regional final before being eliminated by College World Series-bound Georgia.
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