Zajac Named To 2012 Worcester Area Baseball All-Star Team
New Hartford, Conn. native named to Worcester Area second team
FITCHBURG, Mass. (May 23, 2012) – The Second Annual Worcester Area Baseball All-Star Team has been announced after a vote by sports information directors representing the ten Worcester area colleges and universities. In addition, five major award winners were also named for their respective contributions to the success of their baseball programs.
Senior Jeff Scafidi (Worcester, MA/Burncoat) of Anna Maria has been selected as the Worcester Area Player of the Year for helping lead the AMCATS to the GNAC Tournament Semifinals and the ECAC Division III Tournament Championship game. Scafidi propelled his team with a .408 batting average with four homers, 32 RBIs and 32 runs scored. On the mound, Scafidi also posted a 6-2 record, an earned run average of 3.59 to go with 29 strikeouts in 44 innings.
Junior Nate Koneski (N. Dighton, MA) of Holy Cross was tabbed the Worcester Area Pitcher of the Year. Koneski (7-3) had a stellar year for the Crusaders as he currently has a 2.43 ERA and he has fanned 82 in 74 innings on the hill. Last week, his earned run average was third overall in the Patriot League and second among DI schools in New England.
Freshman Dylan Pond (Hubbardston, MA) of Quinsigamond Community College earned Worcester Area Rookie of the Year honors. In 31 games, Pond hit at a .395 clip with seven homers, 29 RBIs and 26 runs while he also finished the season with a 6-2 record, a 3.17 ERA and 56 punch outs in 53.1 frames of work.
Junior's Shane Keddy (Worcester, MA/Worcester Tech) of Assumption and Todd Tompkins (W. Haven, MA) of Becker both received the nod to share Worcester Area Co-Offensive Player of the Year laurels.
Keddy propelled the Greyhounds with a squad-best .389 batting average to go with team-highs of 18 doubles, 26 RBIs, 96 total bases and 25 runs. Tompkins, who is currently ranked second in the NCAA Division III in batting (0.492), also put up eye-popping totals of 12 two-baggers, six triples, five homers, 42 RBIs, 26 steals as he crossed home plate 52 times – a total that is currently second in New England.
Greg DiCenzo of Holy Cross was selected as the Worcester Area Coach of the Year. DiCenzo helped guide the Crusaders to a 33-21 mark and to their fourth Patriot League Tournament berth in the last five seasons. Holy Cross will vie for a spot in the NCAA Division I Baseball Tournament when they play at Army on Monday for a winner take all championship in a best-of-three series that is currently tied 1-1.
Joining Scafidi, Koneski, Pond, Keddy and Tompkins on the first team included Jordan Enos, Mike Ahmed, Patrick Puentes and John Colella of Holy Cross, Kevin Wodatch of Anna Maria, Joe Corey of Becker, Andrew LeBlanc of Clark, Bill Derosier of Quinsigamond Community College, and Sean Minor of WPI.
The second team honorees featured Dean Diamantopoulous, Mike Guarnieri and Justin Hyland of Anna Maria, Brandon Cipolla, Alex Maldonado and Tommy Marra of Holy Cross, Nick Gezotis, Cody Osburn and Dan Ubele of Worcester State, Eric Johnson, Taylor Landry and David Trujillo of WPI, Matt Consigli of Assumption, Weston Meehan of Becker, Matt Zajac of Fitchburg State, Tyler Shute of Nichols and Mike Mastrototaro of Quinsigamond Community College.