By Staff
Charles Prince, Hartselle Enquirer
Most people don't enjoy being wakened by a phone call at 11 p.m., but former Hartselle High Tiger baseball player, Trent Preuitt didn't' mind the phone call he got on Memorial Day at 11 p.m. from his college baseball coach. The call informed Preuitt he was named to the Division II All-American first team.
"It was a big shock," Preuitt said. "To be ranked among the best players in the country in division two was a big surprise for me."
Preuitt, a senior and a member of Hartselle's 2000 state championship team, hit .436 this season. He set school records for hits in a season with 105, hits in a game with five, triples in a season with seven and by hitting safely in 23-straight games. He ended the season on a 22-game hitting streak.
Preuitt describes his two hitting streaks this season as "pretty amazing."
"The hardest part is getting one started,"
Preuitt said. "Getting it to the ninth or tenth game is the tough part. Then after that, you need some luck. You have to have a dink hit fall in that usually wouldn't fall in to keep it going."
He also led Montevallo with 60 RBIs and struck out only six times in 58 games played this season.
Earlier in May, he was named Gulf South Conference Eastern Division Player of the Year and to the American Baseball Coaches Association All-South Region team, as well.
"It was a big surprise to be named the best player on our side of the Gulf South Conference," Preuitt said. "Because it's one of the best conferences in division two."
Preuitt's outstanding season has caught the eye of professional baseball scouts. Both, the Florida Marlins and the Tampa Bay Devil Rays had Preuitt work out for their teams.
Preuitt is optimistic he may get the chance to play the game at the pro level.
"The scouts said there was a good chance I would be drafted. They said some other teams had expressed interest in me also," Preuitt said. "As a kid you dream about playing pro ball. But even when I was at Hartselle, I really didn't think I had a chance.
"I still didn't think I had a chance when this season began. Now I might get that chance after all."
The amateur draft for high school and college players is set for June 6-7.