FIVE BRYANT BASEBALL PLAYERS SELECTED TO NEW ENGLAND ALL-STAR GAME

June 2, 2010
 

BRYANT BASEBALL PLAYERS SELECTED TO NEW ENGLAND ALL-STAR GAME
Five Bulldogs to participate in annual game played this Sunday at Fenway Park

Freshman Pete Kelich posted a New England-best 9-1 record in 2010 and was named First Team All-New England this week. He'll play in the annual NEIBA All-Star game at Fenway Park on June 6.

SMITHFIELD, R.I. – Bryant University baseball will be well represented this weekend when the 2010 New England Intercollegiate Baseball Association (NEIBA) All-Star game takes place at Fenway Park in Boston. 

A total of five Bryant players were recently named Division I All-New England and will take part in the all-star game this Sunday, June 6 at 3 pm when the Division I all-stars take on the Division II all-stars.

Bryant posted a 34-22 record in 2010 and captured the Northeast Conference Regular Season Championship with a 25-7 record in its first year competing in the NEC.  Since this is Bryant’s second year of reclassification to Division I, the school cannot participate in postseason play.

Three Bryant pitchers, two starters and one reliever, were named First Team All-New England.  Brent Almeida (Fairhaven, Mass.) is coming off a brilliant season as Bryant’s top starting pitcher.  The senior righty went 6-0 with a 1.94 ERA and was named the NEC Pitcher of the Year for 2010 and First Team All-NEC.  In his final start, Almeida struck out a career-high eight batters in a win over Sacred Heart to clinch the regular season conference title for the Bulldogs. 

Newcomer Pete Kelich (Jackson, N.J.) enjoyed a stellar freshman campaign, posting a 9-1 overall record in 14 appearances on the mound and finished with a 4.32 ERA.  A second team all-conference selection, Kelich’s nine victories on the season were the most in the regular season in the conference and among Division I pitchers in New England. Kelich earned his first victory of the season against Virginia Tech back in March in Blacksburg, Va.

Closer Mark Andrews (Hillsborough, N.J.) also joins Almeida and Kelich on the All-New England First Team after leading the NEC with 12 saves this past season. A first team all-conference selection, Andrews was 3-1 on the year and made 23 appearances out of the bullpen.  He struck out 27 batters and walked just six. 

Senior catcher Jeff Vigurs (South Windsor, Conn.) and senior outfielder Nick Campbell (Raynham, Mass.) were both named Second Team All-New England after concluding record breaking careers last spring.

Vigurs started all 56 games for the Bulldogs and was named second team all-conference after hitting .333 with 13 doubles and 41 RBIs.  Vigurs was second on the team with 24 multi-hit games and finished the season as the school’s all-time career doubles leader with 61.  In addition, he concludes his career second in career games played (228), career hits (277), and second all-time with 1,135 career putouts.  Behind the plate, Vigurs threw out 18 runners attempting to steal and finished his career throwing out 74 runners on the base paths.

Campbell also concludes his career with his name etched in the school record books.  A first team all-conference selection, Campbell played in a school record 233 games played and an incredible 341 career hits.  He finished the season fifth in the NEC with a .391 batting average and was second in the conference with 45 RBIs.  His 57 career doubles and 177 career RBIs are the second-most in Bryant baseball history. In his final game in a Bulldog uniform, Campbell went 5-for-5 in a 10-1 win over Sacred Heart. 

DIVISION I FIRST TEAM
Player, Year, School    Pos.
Joe Mercurio, Sr., Maine    C
Mike Nemeth, Jr., Connecticut    1B
Tucker Nathans, Jr., Fairfield    2B
Mike Olt, Jr., Connecticut    3B
Sean Allaire, Sr., Central Connecticut    SS
Pat Epps, Jr., Central Connecticut    OF
John Spatola, Sr., Boston College    OF
George Springer, So., Connecticut    OF
Kyle Borden, Jr., Rhode Island    DH
Matt Barnes, So., Connecticut    SP
Brent Almeida, Sr., Bryant    SP
Peter Kelich, Fr., Bryant    SP
Mark Andrews, Jr., Bryant    RP

DIVISION I SECOND TEAM
Player, Year, School    Pos
Jeff Vigurs, Sr., Bryant    C
Jeff Heppner, Sr., Sacred Heart    C
Mickey Wiswall, Jr., Boston College    1B
Pierre LePage, Jr., Connecticut    2B
Matt Perry, Sr., Holy Cross    3B
Nick Ahmed, So., Connecticut    SS
Taylor Lewis, So., Maine    OF
Nick Ciardiello, Jr., Holy Cross    OF
Nick Campbell, Sr., Bryant    OF
Mike Drowne, Sr., Sacred Heart    OF
Mike DiBiase, So., Brown    DH
Elliot Glynn, Jr., Connecticut    SP
Dan Rossignol, Sr., Rhode Island    SP
Jared Balbach, Gr., Sacred Heart    SP
Cole Sulser, So., Dartmouth    RP

COACH OF THE YEAR:  Jim Penders, Connecticut