ABCA All-Midwest Region Teams

WINONA, Minn. — It's been a season of firsts for Saint Mary's University's Kevin Gannon (Roselle, Ill.).

Not only was 2012 the first season as a Cardinal for the first baseman, but Gannon also earned his first All-Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference First Team honor earlier this month.

And Thursday, the firsts continued, as Gannon was SMU's first American Baseball Coaches Association (ABCA)/Rawlings NCAA Division III All-Midwest Region pick in the last 10 years, being named to the Midwest Region's Third Team.

Gannon, who helped lead the Cardinals to their first MIAC post-season appearance since 2002, was the team's offensive spark plug this season, closing out the regular season with a .395 batting average, while also leading the team in at-bats (132), runs (26), hits (52), doubles (16), RBIs (31) and total bases (73). The sophomore first baseman — who had at least one hit in 29 of the team's 38 games — put together a team-high 11-game hitting streak this season and recorded a team-best 18 multiple-hit games. In the field, Gannon owned a .979 fielding percentage, making just four errors in 189 chances at first base.

Gannon was one of 15 MIAC players named to the ABCA All-Region teams, with Dylan Thomas and Steve Maher of St. Thomas sweeping the region's Player and Pitcher of the Year honors.