Gwinnett Daily Post

Their uniform colors have changed. They know play for the Jaguars, not the Falcons.

But three former Dacula standouts are back together and leading the way for Augusta State's baseball team.

Sophomore Shannon Wilkerson, senior Michael Fritz and sophomore Tony Baker are all hitting over .300 this season for the 22-16 Jaguars. Three other Gwinnett grads - Central Gwinnett's Jorge Virguez, Parkview's Blake Pockrandt and Brookwood's Matt Landis - also are on the roster, and Virguez and Pockrandt are major contributors.

Wilkerson is having the biggest season of the Gwinnett contingent, ranking in the Peach Belt Conference's top 10 in batting average, home runs, RBIs, slugging percentage, runs and total bases.

The outfielder is hitting .377 with 11 home runs and 37 RBIs and a team-best 11 stolen bases. He has a .733 slugging percentage and a .453 on-base percentage.

Wilkerson was named the Peach Belt player of the week on Monday after becoming just the third Augusta State player to hit for the cycle the previous week. He hit .533 with a 1.200 slugging percentage during that week, including a 5-for-5 effort with four RBIs in the series finale against Georgia Southwestern.

Fritz is hitting .351 with 12 RBIs, while fellow starter Baker is batting .303 with three homers and 22 RBIs.

Virguez, a junior, has started 29 games and is hitting .240 with a homer and 13 RBIs. Pockrandt, a pitcher, has made 10 appearances, nine in relief.

TRACK AND FIELD

Brusich breaks school record

Parkview grad Evan Brusich, a freshman at Gardner-Webb (N.C.), broke the school record in the decathlon last week at the Winthrop Invitational in Rock Hill, S.C.

Brusich won the 1,500-meter run in the decathlon, and also placed second in the discus and the 110 hurdles. He tallied a record 5,845 points, finishing as the invitational's runner-up to Lehigh's Edwin Schuck (6,368 points).

Gwinnett Grads is a column that runs on Saturdays spotlighting the achievements of past Gwinnett standouts. Coaches and parents are urged to send suggestions via e-mail to will.hammock@gwinnettdailypost.com or via fax to 770-339-8081.