FRC Duo Earn All-American Honors

GREENSBORO, N.C.--Feather River College slugger Jerry Thomas and hard-throwing closer Jake Christianson have been named to the 2022 ABCA/Rawlings Pacific Association Division All-America Team.

Thomas, a fourth-year sophomore from Reno, was selected to the First Team as a first baseman. Christianson, also a sophomore, gained Second Team honors.

The team is selected by a committee and chosen from the pool of players from the California Community College Athletic Association (CCCAA) and the Northwest Athletic Conference (NWAC). 

Thomas was the Golden Valley Conference Most Valuable Player. He hit .385 with a conference-best 11 home runs and 46 RBI (second in the GVC). He also led the league in walks (44) and on-base percentage (.548). He listed second in the GVC in runs scored (51), hit-by-pitch (15) and slugging percentage (.677). 

Thomas, who played both first base and served as FRC's designatated hitter, played parts of four seasons during the pandemic. He finished with 115 career RBI, 134 runs scored and 14 home runs. He had a career batting average of .341. He is undecided regarding where he will attend school and play baseball in 2023.

Christianson, from St Paul, Minn., blossomed as Feather River's closer in his first season on the job. He led the GVC with eight saves, and went 5-3 on the hill with a 1.66 ERA. He ranked sixth in the state with his eight saves. He pitched 38 innings, gave up only 21 hits and had a sizzling 55 strikeouts. His strikeout to innings pitched ratio was 13.03, third best in the entire state.

The 6-foot-5 righthander had pitched just two innings prior to the 2022 season. He will continue his collegiate career next year at Division I Southern Illinois. 

Feather River finished the season in the CCCAA Northern California finals, after winning the GVC and posting a 36-11 overall mark. They were just two victories away from the CCCAA Final Four, and listed ninth in the final state poll.