MCLAUGHLIN NAMED NJCAA ALL-AMERICA 2ND-TEAM
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Hutchinson CC Sports Information
Hutchinson Community College third baseman Ben McLaughlin became the 16th Blue Dragon in program history to earn All-America honors, being named a 2022 second-team All-American by the NJCAA on Monday.
The All-America honor caps a long list of postseason accomplishments for the sophomore from Golden, Colorado, who will continue his playing career with the College World Series-bound Arkansas Razorbacks next season.
McLaughlin is the seventh All-American Blue Dragon in the Ryan Schmidt era. He is also the second-straight third baseman to earn All-America honors, joining Austin Callahan, a second-team All-American last season.
Also this season, McLaughlin became the first Blue Dragon to be named Region VI Defensive Player of the Year. He was a first-team All-Jayhawk Conference Western Division and first-team All-Region VI selection as well.
The sophomore infielder started the season at first base and then moved to third base on March 24. He committed no errors at third base over the final 32 games of the regular season and had just two errors at the hot corner all season long. McLaughlin fielded .986 this season with only three errors in 222 fielding chances this season.
McLaughlin was the Blue Dragons' undisputed offensive leader this season, hitting .411 (88 of 214) with 19 home runs and 83 RBIs. He also had 23 doubles and posted a .511 on-base percentage with team highs of 34 walks and 13 hit-by-pitches.
McLaughlin ranked third in RBIs, tied for fourth in home runs, fourth in hits, tied for second in doubles and is tied for ninth in runs score in Blue Dragon single-season history.
In conference games this season, McLaughlin hit .431 with 10 home runs, 13 doubles, 50 total hits and 39 RBIs with 23 walks. He fielded .991 in 32 KJCCC games this season.
McLaughlin had a 16-game and 13-game hitting streak this season. He had 29 multi-hit games (17 two-hit games and 12 three-hit games) and 23 multi-RBI games this season.
McLaughlin was named the NJCAA National Player of the Week on May 11, going 11 for 16 with three doubles, three home runs and 11 RBIs in a four-game series against Dodge City.
McLaughlin tied for seventh in the NJCAA in RBIs and was eighth in the nation in total bases with 172. His 19 home runs tied for 15th in the NJCAA. McLaughlin was sixth in the Jayhawk Conference with a .411 batting average and was fifth in slugging percentage at .804.
The sophomore had 29 multi-hit games, including 12 three-hit games. He had 23 multi-RBI games with a season-high five RBIs against Dodge City on May 6. McLaughlin owns the Blue Dragon single-game RBI record with nine against Pratt on April 3, 2021.