June 9, 2009

HICKORY, N.C. -

Former Kansas baseball player Erik Morrison has been selected to participate in the South Atlantic League (Class A) All-Star game.

Morrison, an infielder with the Hickory (N.C.) Crawdads, played at KU from 2005-08, before being drafted by the Texas Rangers’ organization in last summer’s MLB Draft. He leads all South Atlantic League first basemen with a .345 batting average and 1.025 OPS.

In just 33 games, he has compiled 41 hits and leads the team with a .412 OBP, which would be tied for fourth in the league if he had more at-bats per team game to qualify.

Morrison played four seasons in the Crimson and Blue, including 2006 when he led the Jayhawks to their first Big 12 championship and an appearance in the NCAA Tournament. That season, as a sophomore, he set the school-record for home runs (14) by a second-year player; a record which was eclipsed this season by Tony Thompson.

Morrison will be one of six Crawdads at the 50^th annual South Atlantic League All-Star game, which takes place on June 23 in Charleston, W. Va.