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Somerset, NJ - It certainly doesn’t happen every spring.
Hitting over .400 for the regular season is a rather rare occurrence in Northeast Conference baseball circles, but Bryant’s Ryan Ward has done that and more.
The Bulldogs’ redshirt freshman outfielder owns the seventh-highest batting average (.409) on the NCAA Division I leaderboard and he’s the only rookie ranked amongst the nation’s top-40 hitters.
Moving further into rarefied air, Ward captured both the NEC Player of the Year and the NEC Rookie of the Year awards. Five men have done it before, but Ward is the first man to earn both honors during the same season.
Meanwhile, the NEC Pitcher of the Year award remained in Bryant’s possession for the fifth consecutive season. Joining a run that began with Craig Schlitter in 2014, senior southpaw Jack Patterson secured NEC Pitcher of the Year honors.
Wagner manager Jim Carone, a former NEC Pitcher of the Year himself (2002), captured the NEC Coach of the Year accolade for the second time during his tenure on Grymes Hill.
The Northeast Conference recognized the major award winners along with an All-NEC First Team and Second Team on Wednesday evening's BBQ at Dodd Stadium.
MEET THE HONOREES
CATCHER (1st Team)
MICKEY GASPER, BRYANT
The 2017 NEC Player of the Year makes his second straight appearance on the All-NEC First Team. Bryant's veteran catcher ranked third amongst league leaders in batting average (.340) and second in runs scored (55).
FIRST BASE (1st Team)
ANDREW TURNER, LIU BROOKLYN
The infielder's decision to return to Downtown Brooklyn for his senior season despite being drafted by the Miami Marlins paid dividends. Turner, an all-NEC second team selection at third base in 2017, moved across the diamond and up to the First Team. The league leader in on-basepercentage (.492) batted .336 with 15 doubles and five dingers in 42 games.
SECOND BASE (1st Team)
DEAN LOCKERY, CENTRAL CONNECTICUT
The CCSU senior, who started all 46 games, repeats as the All-NEC First Team second baseman after batting a team-high .331 (fifth in NEC) this spring. Lockery's 44 runs scored were fourth most on the circuit.
THIRD BASE (1st Team)
ALEX BRIGGS, LIU BROOKLYN
The third baseman led LIU Brooklyn in RBI (42) while connecting on 20 extra-base hits (12 2B, 8 HR). He batted .330 against conference foes and produced 27 RBI in 27 league games.
SHORTSTOP (1st Team)
SEAN MAZZIO, WAGNER
Starting all 52 games, the veteran hit .305 and posted a .413 on-base percentage. He recently became the 11th member of Wagner's 200-hit club.
DESIGNATED HITTER (1st Team)
FREDDY SABIDO, WAGNER
Sabido elevated up to the First Team after nabbing a spot on the 2017 Second Team as a rookie. The Staten Island product, who batted .390 in NEC play, recorded a team-high 61 hits in 50 games.
OUTFIELDERS (1st Team)
RYAN WARD, BRYANT
The seven-time NEC Rookie of the Week finished the regular season as the league leader in batting average (.408), doubles 21 and hits (95).
DAN SCHOCK, SACRED HEART
The senior led SHU in batting average (.311) and paced the circuit in round-trippers (13).
JAMES CILIENTO, BRYANT
The second-year Bulldog batted .365, the second-highest average in the conference. He accumulated 66 hits and 27 RBI in 44 appearances.
STARTING PITCHERS (1st Team)
JACK PATTERSON, BRYANT
The senior southpaw registered a conference-best 90 strikeouts in 77.0 IP and his 3.51 overall earned-run average ranked second amongst league leaders.
NEIL ABBATIELLO, WAGNER
The junior, who has fanned 73 batters over 78.1 frames, has yet to lose a decision in 14 starts this season. Four of his seven wins have come against NEC teams.
TREY McGOUGH, MOUNT ST. MARY'S
The sophomore southpaw accounted for two of the more impressive gems on the circuit this spring, twirling a 9-inning complete-game shutout against Sacred Heart and using 9.0 innings of one-run ball to defeat Bryant.
RELIEF PITCHER (1st Team)
NICK ROBINO, WAGNER
The second-year Seahawk accounted for seven victories and seven saves over 23 appearances out of the bullpen. He fanned 54 batters in 43.1 frames.
FIRST BASE (2nd Team)
CHRIS WRIGHT, BRYANT
In conference play, he hit .366 to go along with a .464 OBP and .516 slugging percentage. Overall, he logged 58 hits and 35 RBI in 49 starts.
SECOND BASE (2nd Team)
ALEX KRISS, MOUNT ST. MARY'S
He batted a team-leading .314, the seventh-highest average on the circuit. Sixteen of his 60 hits went for extra bases (5 HR, 1 3B, 10 2B).
THIRD BASE (2nd Team)
VAUGHN PARKER II, MOUNT ST. MARY'S
The veteran infielder accounted for a .309 batting average and .407 on-base percentage during the Mount's league schedule.
SHORTSTOP (2nd Team)
PATRICK CAUSA, MOUNT ST. MARY'S
His 46 RBI are third most amongst league leaders. The middle infielder feasted on NEC pitching, hitting .356 over 28 conference contests.
CATCHER (2nd Team)
PHIL CAPRA, WAGNER
The Seahawk's backstop makes his second consecutive appearance on the Second Team. His 54 RBI lead the conference and his 12 dingers rank second.
DESIGNATED HITTER (2nd Team)
GABY CRUZ, BRYANT
The sophomore drove in 21 runs over 25 NEC games, accounting for a .426 OBP during that span.
OUTFIELDERS
ANDREW SMITH, LIU BROOKLYN
The outfielder posted a .425 OBP and a perfect 1.000 fielding percentage over 49 games.
KYLE CALA, WAGNER
The right fielder recorded 47 hits and seven outfield assists in 48 games.
ANTHONY CAPOZZIELLO, SACRED HEART
The senior batted .306 with six home runs.
STARTING PITCHERS (2nd Team)
STEVE THEETGE, BRYANT
The 2017 NEC Pitcher of the Year was again masterful against league foes. He went 5-1 with a 2.36 ERA in eight conference starts.
PATRICK CLYNE, LIU BROOKLYN
The sophomore southpaw accounted for 9.52 strikeouts per 9.0 IP, the second-highest rate amongst NEC hurlers.
TYLER MATTISON, BRYANT
The freshman owns the lowest overall ERA (3.40) in the conference.
RELIEF PITCHER (2nd Team)
MIKE KREIGER, LIU BROOKLYN
The righty led NEC in appearances (25), pitching to a 1.62 ERA out of the bullpen. NEC batters hit only .151 off him.