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Sonny DiChiara named Golden Spikes Award semifinalist

Justin Hokansonby: Justin Hokanson05/24/22_JHokanson
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Photo by AU Athletics

Auburn Athletics release special to Auburn Live

Cary, N.C. – The accolades continue to roll in for senior first baseman Sonny DiChiara, who was named a semifinalist for the 2022 Golden Spikes Award by USA Baseball Tuesday.

DiChiara is one of 31 semifinalists from across the country, including six from the Southeastern Conference. He becomes Auburn’s fifth semifinalist, joining Josh Donaldson (2007), Hunter Morris (2010), Anfernee Grier (2016) and Casey Mize (2018) as Tigers to earn the distinction.

DiChiara, who was named the SEC Co-Player of the Year yesterday and was named a semifinalist for the Dick Howser Trophy earlier this month, finished the regular season as the league leader in on-base percentage (.561) and slugging percentage (.782) while ranking second in batting average (.382). His on-base clip is also good for the national lead, while his slugging percentage is the fifth best in the country.

A native of Hoover, Alabama, Sonny DiChiara is tied for third among active Division I players with 58 career home runs and has homered 17 this year, matching Edouard Julien’s total from 2018 for the most by an Auburn player since 2010. He has drawn 62 walks this season, the most in the country and the second most in the team’s single-season history, and has reached base in all but one game, including multiple times on 43 occasions.

Sonny DiChiara was named Co-Player of the Year in the SEC on Monday.

Beginning with the announcement of the semifinalists, a ballot will be sent to a voting body consisting of baseball media members, select professional baseball personnel and USA Baseball staff, and the previous winners of the award, representing a group of more than 150 voters. As part of this selection process, all voters will be asked to choose three players from the list of semifinalists. USA Baseball will announce the finalists on June 8 and voting for the winner will begin that same day.

Fan voting will once again be a part of the Golden Spikes Award in 2022. Beginning with the semifinalist announcement and continuing through the finalist round voting deadline, fans from across the country will be able to vote for their favorite player on GoldenSpikesAward.com.

The winner of the 44th Golden Spikes Award will be named on Friday, June 24, on ESPN.

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