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MLN Newswire - www.mlntherawfeed.com - DURHAM, NC – Sioux City Explorers RHP Nick Singleton was named to Baseball America’s 2008 All-Independent First Team. Sioux Falls Canaries OF Beau Torbert and LHP Kris Regas along with Fort Worth Cats LHP Joel Kirsten were selected to the second team.

Singleton went 8-4 for the Explorers with a 2.24 ERA in 16 starts. He struck out 82 strikeouts in 112 2/3 innings pitched while walking only 32. The resident of Montgomery, AL was a Teamline Direct Player of the Week winner (July 20) and selected as the righthanded pitcher on the American Association’s Postseason All-Star Team.

Torbert, a resident of Phenix City, AL, was named the 2008 Player of the Year. He batted .324 with 19 home runs, 71 RBI and a .568 slugging percentage. Torbert finished first in the American Association in slugging percentage, tied for third in home runs and RBI, fifth in batting average, and tied for fifth in extra base hits (42). He also was selected as a starter for the North Division team in the 2008 All-Star Game at St. Paul, MN this past July and named to the Postseason All-Star Team. The Detroit Tigers purchased Torbert’s contract on September 25.

Regas accumulated a record of 1-0 with a 1.29 ERA and 72 strikeouts in 42 innings pitched. He collected a league record 30 saves in 41 appearances and held opponents to a batting average of only .174. Regas was a member of the North Division squad in the All-Star Game at St. Paul, MN this past July and named to the league’s Post-Season All-Star Team. He was also a Teamline Direct Player of the Week Recipient (June 1) and the B45 August Pitcher of the Month. Regas was sold to the Detroit Tigers on September 25.

Kirsten went 8-3 with a 2.69 ERA in 20 starts for Fort Worth. He walked only 31 batters in 137 1/3 innings pitched and hurled two complete games. Kirsten finished first in the league in innings pitched and was fifth in earned run average. The Van Nuys, CA native was selected as the lefthanded pitcher on the league’s Postseason All-Star Team.

Baseball America’s 2008 All-Independent First Team

C – Jason Belcher, Somerset (Atlantic League)

1B – Josh Pressley, Somerset (Atlantic League)

2B – Melvin Falu, Brockton (Can-Am League)

SS – Jermy Acey, Orange County (Golden League)

3B – Tanner Townsend, Gary (Northern League)

OF – Patrick Breen, Orange County (Golden League)

OF – Scott Grimes, Worcester (Can-Am League)

OF – Angel Molina, Florence (Frontier League)

DH – Carl Everett, Long Island (Atlantic League)

SP – Ryan Bird, Southern Illinois (Frontier League)

SP – Trevor Caughey, Chico (Golden League)

SP – Tom Cochran, Worcester (Can-Am League)

SP – Nick Singleton, Sioux City (American Association)

RP – Mike Benacka, River City (Frontier League)

Second Team - C—Kyle Wells, Bay Area (Continental). 1B—Phil Hawke, Windy City (Frontier). 2B—Danny Bravo, Amarillo (United). 3B—Kelly Hunt, Florence (Frontier). SS—Ramon Castro, Newark (Atlantic). OF—Ryan Stevenson, St. George (Golden), Beau Torbert, Sioux Falls (American Association), Michael Woods, Lancaster (Atlantic). DH—Juan Diaz, Joliet (Northern). SP—Joe Gannon, Southern Maryland (Atlantic), Santos Hernandez, Laredo (United) & Brockton (Can-Am), Joel Kirsten, Fort Worth (American Association) & Somerset (Atlantic), Gerald Plexico, Gary (Northern). RP—Kris Regas, Sioux Falls (American Association).

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