Brown named ABCA All-American; Four ABCA Northeast Region picks
BROWN GARNERS ABCA ALL-AMERICAN HONORS; FOUR ALL-NORTHEAST REGION
SMITHFIELD, R.I. – Three weeks after the completion of the greatest season in program history, the accolades continue to roll in for the Bryant University baseball team as senior third baseman Kevin Brown (Northborough, Mass.) was named a American Baseball Coaches Association (ABCA) Third Team All-American.
In addition to his All-American honor, Brown was named First Team All-Northeast Region and was joined on the first team by sophomore center fielder Carl Anderson (Sudbury, Mass.). Senior pitchers Peter Kelich (Jackson, N.J.) and Salvatore Lisanti (Bronx, N.Y.) were both named Second Team All-Northeast Region.
The All-American honor marks the second time Brown has been recognized nationally in his career. He was also named a Freshman All-American in 2010. This spring, he capped off one of the most historic careers in program history. Brown hit a team-high .367 with 81 hits, 16 doubles, two triples, seven home runs and 48 RBI. He also scored 49 runs, walked 47 times and stole 22 bases while transitioning from the outfield to third base. Brown finished the season with a .498 on-base percentage and a .552 slugging percentage. He provided the game-winning hit in Bryant's NCAA victory over Arkansas and then homered in his final game with the Black and Gold two days later against the Razorbacks. He leaves Bryant as the Division leader in every single major offensive category and wraps up his career as the all-time leader in doubles and tied for second all time in hits with 277.
Bryant's starting center fielder, Anderson enjoyed a breakout season this spring. After hitting just .250 as a freshman, Anderson exploded to hit .341 this spring with 73 hits. Primarily the fifth batter in the lineup, he collected a team-high 49 RBI, scored 42 runs and stole 20 bases while making just two errors in the outfield. Anderson also worked 14 walks, was hit 11 times and struck out just 22 times in 214 at-bats.
The greatest pitcher in program history, Kelich wraps up his Bryant career with one final honor. Earning all-region honors for the second-straight season, Kelich went 7-4 with a 2.49 ERA in a team-high 97.2 innings this spring. He tied a program single-season record with 89 strikeouts and issued just 19 walks. Kelich became the winningest pitcher in program history on April 6 against Siena and finished his career with a 30-11 mark and an even 3.00 ERA. He wrapped up his career with a dominant start against Arkansas in the NCAA tournament, striking out six and allowing just one run on two hits over five innings.
A converted starting pitcher, Lisanti transformed himself into one of top closers in the Northeast over the last two seasons. An First Team All-NEC selection each of the last two years, Lisanti was his best this spring, going 2-2 with a 1.11 ERA in 23 appearances. Over 32.1 innings, he allowed just six runs (four earned) on 20 hits while striking out 30 batters. Opponents hit just .185 off Lisanti who picked up 20 saves over the course of his career. He was his most dominant in the postseason, giving up just three hits over 6.2 scoreless innings of relief. Lisanti threw 2.2 scoreless innings to earn his 10th save and force the "if necessary" game against Sacred Heart in the NEC tournament and then threw four hitless innings of relief to earn the victory over Arkansas in the NCAA tournament. In his career, Lisanti finished with a 13-12 record and 20 saves in 74 appearances.