PHILADELPHIA'S TYLER MENTZER CHOSEN CACC BASEBALL PLAYER OF THE YEAR
NEW HAVEN, Conn. (May 5, 2010) – Tyler Mentzer of Philadelphia University has been chosen the 2010 Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference (CACC) Baseball Player of the Year, as the All-Conference team was released Wednesday. Wilmington University’s Joe Harris was tabbed Pitcher of the Year and Joe Petosa of Felician College was named Rookie of the Year. Wilmington University’s Brian August was voted Coach of the Year, while USP garnered the annual Team Sportsmanship Award.
Mentzer, a 5-11 senior shortstop from Gettysburg, Pa., leads the
CACC with a .404 batting average
and was the only hitter above .400 at the end of the
regular-season. He also leads the conference in numerous other
categories, including on-base percentage (.521), slugging
percentage (.746), runs scored (39) and home runs with seven.
Additionally, he ranks second in total bases (85) and fourth in
runs batted in (34). Mentzer is a four-time member of the
All-Conference team, including a three-time first team pick. He was
selected to the second team as a freshman.
Harris, a 6-3 junior left-hander from Douglassville, Pa., leads the conference in strikeouts (89), and opponent batting average (.192), is second in innings pitched (73.2) and fourth with a 1.82 earned-run average. He finished the regular-season with a 6-1 record and allowed only 51 hits and 19 walks in 73.2 innings of work. Harris and the Wildcats are the top seed for this weekend’s CACC Tournament.
Petosa, a 5-10 freshman outfielder from Spotswood, N.J., wrapped up the regular-season with a .337 batting average with 36 runs scored, 28 RBI, six triples, five doubles and two home runs. He stands first in the conference in doubles, 15th in batting average, is tied for third in runs scored and total bases (80) and fourth with 57 base hits. He was named the CACC Rookie of the Week twice this season.
Brian August was named the Coach of the Year after leading the Wildcats to a regular-season championship and the top seed for the CACC Tournament, which Wilmington will host this weekend. Wilmington enters the postseason with a 28-16 record after compiling a 16-4 mark in conference play. The Wildcats are currently ranked sixth in the NCAA Division II East Region poll.
The complete All-Conference team and special award winners are listed on the following page. Repeat first team selections include Mentzer and the Caldwell College senior duo of outfielder Ray Keelan and starting pitcher Buddy Riggs.
| FIRST TEAM | |||
| 1B Tommy Maloney | Dominican | Sr. | Massapequa Park, NY |
| 2B Dan Luisi | Post | Sr. | Bethpage, NY |
| SS Tyler Mentzer | Philadelphia | Sr. | Gettysburg, PA |
| 3B Brendan Barry | Post | Jr. | Franklin Square, NY |
| C Mike Godwin | Wilmington | So. | Hockessin, DE |
| OF Ray Keelan | Caldwell | Sr. | Barnegat, NJ |
| OF Joe Petosa | Felician | Fr. | Spotswood, NJ |
| OF Dan Etherton | Chestnut Hill | Jr. | Princeton, NJ |
| DH Bryan Miller | Wilmington | Jr. | Westville, NY |
| UT Bryan Short | Wilmington | Sr. | Ashburn, VA |
| P David Bartuska | Dominican | So. | Duryea, PA |
| P Joe Harris | Wilmington | Jr. | Douglassville, PA |
| P Buddy Riggs | Caldwell | Sr. | Coral Springs, FL |
| P Joel Sanchez | Felician | Jr. | Hialeah, FL |
| RP JT Gregory | Wilmington | Sr. | Woodbridge, VA |
| SECOND TEAM | |||
| 1B Chris Fogleman | Felician | So. | Waxhaw, NC |
| 2B Mickey Zudonyi | Felician | Jr. | Holmdel, NJ |
| SS PJ Rodriguez | Nyack | Sr. | Levittown, Puerto Rico |
| 3B Willie Mann | Dominican | Sr. | Patterson, NJ |
| C Bryan Henry | Chestnut Hill | Jr. | Columbus, NJ |
| C Marcos Torres | Felician | Sr. | Miami, FL |
| OF Tony Blake | Dominican | Fr. | Windsor, CT |
| OF Emilio Fernandez | Bloomfield | So. | Paterson, NJ |
| OF Alberto Ruiz | Bloomfield | Jr. | Edison, NJ |
| DH Dan Robinson | Dominican | Jr. | Massapequa, NY |
| UT Phil Messerian | Felician | Sr. | Fair Lawn, NJ |
| P Kurt Bruce | Wilmington | Jr. | Lusby, MD |
| P Todd Craig | Dominican | Sr. | Shenendoah, PA |
| P Dan Steers | Post | Jr. | Stoneridge, NY |
| RP Tim McCarthy | Post | Sr. | Waterbury, CT |
| RP Justin Moore | Dominican | So. | Wantagh, NY |
Player of the Year: Tyler Mentzer, Sr., SS, Philadelphia
Pitcher of the Year: Joe Harris, Jr., Wilmington
Rookie of the Year: Joe Petosa, Fr., OF, Felician
Coach of the Year: Brian August, Wilmington
Team Sportsmanship Award: USP
Honorable Mention: Jesse Daywalt, So., 2B, Chestnut Hill; Michael Frank, Jr., OF, Nyack; Jorge Ynoa, So., OF, Caldwell; Gary Thompson, Sr., SP, USP; Richie Pierro, Sr., SP, Post; Robert Iglesias, Sr., C, Dominican; T.J. Walsh, Jr., DH, Concordia