A total of nine Malone University baseball players were recognized when the Independents Collegiate Athletic Association and NCCAA East Region recently announced their postseason awards. In addition, senior catcher
T.J. Rosenberg and junior starting pitcher
Jared Messer were named NCCAA First Team All-Americans.
Messer was selected as the ICAA Pitcher of the Year and was also named to the All-ICAA First Team. Other Pioneers joining him on the All-ICAA First Team include third baseman
Bob Suitca and outfielder
Sam Craciun. Earning All-ICAA Second Team honors were Rosenberg, second baseman
Logan Gray, and relief pitcher
Nate Morrison.
Messer collected the NCCAA East Region Pitcher of the Year Award, as well as being voted to the NCCAA All-East Region Team. Morrison, Rosenberg, Gray, Suitca, and Craciun were also recognized with NCCAA All-East Region Team accolades. Outfielder
Marc Adams, first baseman
Matt Anderson, and starting pitcher
Tyler Newhart were each named NCCAA East Region Honorable Mention. Rosenberg and Messer earned their NCCAA All-America recognition in voting that occurred just a few days after the NCCAA East Region voting.
Messer, with a record of 9-3 thus far, has been the ace of the Malone pitching staff in 2012. This spring, he leads the Pioneers in multiple categories including wins (9), complete games (8), innings pitched (80), earned run average (0.90), batting average against (.197), and strikeouts (73). Newhart currently boasts an impressive 7-1 record for the season in 11 starts. Through 59.1 innings of work this spring, Newhart has posted a 4.55 ERA while striking out 42 batters. Morrison has anchored the bullpen this year for Malone, leading the team with seven saves. He holds a 2-2 record with a 2.33 ERA in 16 appearances, including three starts.
Suitca has provided the power in the Pioneer lineup in 2012 as he has tallied five homeruns and 42 RBI's, which are both good enough to lead the team. He has also been a consistent hitter, posting a .361 batting average and slugging an impressive .556.
Craciun has also had an impressive year at the dish, batting a solid .354 while driving in 28 runs and scoring 36 times. On the base paths, Craciun was trouble for the opposition leading Malone with eight stolen bases. He is also the only Pioneer to have appeared in every game this season.
Rosenberg capped off his career at Malone by putting together an outstanding year at the plate smashing eight doubles, three triples, and a homerun while compiling a .350 batting average and a team high .450 on-base percentage. Behind the plate, Rosenberg helped lead the Pioneer defense by throwing out eight runners and only allowing five passed balls for the year.
Gray put together an excellent sophomore campaign this spring leading the team in doubles (18) and slugging percentage (.572). His batting average (.362) and total bases (87) both ranked second among Pioneer hitters.
Anderson provided a spark in the Malone offense this season by leading the team in batting average (.371) and hits (65), as well as recording the second highest on-base percentage (.439). He was also a major piece of the defense as he had an impressive .991 fielding percentage.
Adams concluded his Pioneer career with another solid season by batting .302 and collecting 45 hits, which included five doubles, four triples, and two homeruns. In the outfield, Adams did not commit a single error in the 51 games that he played in.
Malone, currently 31-21 overall, captured the NCCAA East Region Title with victories over Nyack and Houghton last Thursday and another win over Nyack on Friday. They are currently competing in the ten-team NCCAA World Series in Mason, Ohio May 16-19.
