OMAHA, Neb. – University of South Carolina Aiken senior designated hitter Bill Gerstenslager has been tabbed as a semifinalist for the 2013 Tino Martinez Award.

The award is presented to the most outstanding player in NCAA Division II college baseball. The annual honor is named after the former University of Tampa Spartan, United States Olympian, First-Round draft pick and MLB All-Star, Tino Martinez.

There are 40 semifinalists with five players from each of the eight Division II regions. In year's past there were at least six players from each region; however the process has been modified slightly and this year each school has been limited to a single player advancing to the semifinal round.

Initial nominations for the award were made by baseball sports information contacts and media members. A panel of media, coaches and sports information officers will be polled to finalize the candidates. The group will once again vote on the finalists, with a fan Internet vote also contributing to the crowning of the winner.

The finalists are scheduled to be named on Monday, May 20. The winner will be announced after the conclusion of the Division II Baseball Championship held in Cary, N.C. from May 25 to June 1.

Gerstenslager (Solon, Ohio/Mercyhurst) is presently leading the No. 1 Pacers with a team-best .387 (75-for-194) batting average. He is currently leading the Pacers and the Peach Belt Conference with 21 doubles on the 2013 season. The 21 doubles are currently sixth-most in the nation.

Gerstenslager is leading USC Aiken with 29 extra-base hits on the year on the 21 doubles, six home runs and two triples. He has collected 118 bases and scored 50 runs to go along with his 50 RBIs. The senior designated hitter has 16 multiple RBI games in the 2013 season thus far. He has 23 multiple hit games. 

Gerstenslager was also recently named to the Peach Belt Conference All-Conference First-Team, the Peach Belt Conference All-Academic Team and the Capital One Academic NCAA Division II Baseball District Three First-Team.

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