RUSTON, La. - Louisiana Tech's Michael Ballard was named an ABCA/Rawlings Gold Glove Finalist, the ABCA announced on Tuesday. Ballard would be the second Louisiana Tech player to win the award, following the footsteps of Tech's former second basemen, Taylor Young, who won it in 2021. 

Ballard finished the 2024 season batting .312 at the plate with 77 hits and 38 RBI. The Florida native had four homers and 12 doubles while having a 21-game on-base reach streak, and his longest hitting streak was 15 games. In his 64 starts at second base, Ballard had just one error with 121 putouts and was involved in 37 double plays in 2024. Ballard, in his first year with the Bulldogs, had a fielding percentage of .997. 

The ABCA/Rawlings Gold Glove teams were first recognized in 2007 and are presented annually to the top defensive players from each division of collegiate and high school baseball.

The winners of the 2024 ABCA/Rawlings Gold Glove Award will be announced on Wednesday, June 19. 

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