Theetge named New England Pitcher of the Year

SMITHFIELD, R.I. – Bryant University baseball senior Steve Theetge (Syracuse, N.Y.) was named the New England Intercollegiate Baseball Association (NEIBA) Pitcher of the Year and 10 were named All-New England, the association announced on Tuesday.

Theetge becomes the first pitcher in program history to earn New England Pitcher of the Year honors. He was also named to the All-New England First Team and is joined by sophomore Sam Owens (Scituate, R.I.), redshirt sophomore Jimmy Titus (Stafford, Conn.), classmate Ryan Ward (Millbury, Mass.) and junior Chris Wright (Cumberland, R.I.) and Gaby Cruz (Miami, Fla.).

Senior Nick Angelini (Bedford, N.H.) and Wright were both second team selections, while freshman Jake Gustin (Peabody, Mass.), junior James Ciliento (Mahwah, N.J.) and sophomore Tyler Mattison (Fort Ann, N.Y.) were third team honorees.

The first two-time NEC Pitcher of the Year, Theetge put the finishing touches on the greatest pitching career in program history this spring. He set a program record with 16 starts and finished the year 9-2 with a 1.75 ERA in a program record 102 2/3 innings. Theetge surrendered just 81 hits, walked 30 and struck out a career high 96 batters. He allowed three runs or less in 13 of his 16 starts and closed the season by allowing one unearned run over his final three starts. Theetge tossed his first nine-inning complete game shutout in the NEC Tournament opener and then allowed just one unearned run over 4 2/3 innings two days later in the championship game.

Theetge's 1.75 ERA is the lowest by a starting pitcher in DI program history, while his 102 2/3 innings are a program record. He finishes his as the school's all-time leader in wins (32) and innings pitched (344.1) and is third in strikeouts (270). Theetge didn't allow a single home run this spring.

Owens became the fourth different Bryant catcher since 2014 to earn All-New England honors. The first team catcher has been a Bulldog each of the last four years. Owens enjoyed a career year, hitting .326 with 11 doubles, six home runs, 37 RBI and 44 runs scored in 54 games. He also was hit 21 times and finished the year with a .431 OBP. Owens also made the move from short to catcher seamlessly, finishing with a .992 fielding percentage in 374 chances.

Titus returned to the diamond this spring to put up some of the best offensive numbers for a shortstop in program history. He finished the year with a .343 average, 80 hits, 13 doubles, 12 home runs, 63 RBI and 50 runs scored. Titus led all New England players in RBI and finished tied for the second-most RBI in a single season in program history. He finished the year with a career-high 133 total bases.

Ward earned first team honors for the second-straight season after hitting .382 with 95 hits, 15 doubles, 13 home runs, 51 RBI and 59 runs scored. He also walked 30 times, struck out just 17 times and finished with a .450 OBP. Ward became the first player in school history with back-to-back season of 90+ hits, 50+ RBI and 50+ runs scored, and reached the 200-career hit mark faster than any other player in school history. He finished the year with 30 multi-hit games and reached safely in each of the final 32 games.

Wright earns first team honors for the second-straight year but this time as a utility player. He also earned second team honors as a reliever. A semifinalist for the John Olerud Two-Way Player of the Year award, Wright hit .297 with six home runs and 51 RBI, while also posting 13 saves and 64 strikeouts as a reliever. He added 14 doubles and finished with 45 runs scored as Bryant's starting first baseman in all 60 games. Wright then moved to the mound 21 times during the season, tying the program single-season record with 13 saves. He struck out 64 in just 34 1/3 innings and allowed just 16 hits on the year. Wright closed out both of Bryant's victories over ACC member Virginia Tech.

Cruz had a dynamite season at the plate, finishing the year with a .354 average, six doubles, nine home runs, 37 RBI and a .449 OBP. He posted a pair of multi-homer games on the season, including the series opener at Wagner in which he homered in the eighth and ninth inning to bring the Bulldogs back to win.

Angelini wrapped a historic career with an outstanding senior season as he earned All-New England honors for the third time in his career. He hit .336 with 76 hits, 12 doubles, 10 home runs, 52 RBI, 55 runs scored and 12 stolen bases this spring. Angelini led Bryant with 11 three-hit games and finished second on the team with 15 multi-RBI games, becoming just the fifth player in DI program history to have 50+ RBI and 50+ runs scored in the same season. He wrapped up his career with 245 hits, 41 doubles, 10 triples, 23 home runs, 143 RBI, 188 runs scored, 106 walks and 55 stolen bases.

Gustin was Bryant's everyday second baseman the first 35 games of the season before an injury kept him out for two weeks. Upon return, Gustin took over as the Black and Gold's everyday third baseman. The rookie hit .287 with eight doubles, 27 RBI, 43 runs scored and 29 walks. Gustin homered in his second career game and doubled in each of Bryant's first two games against No. 1 LSU.

Ciliento picks up third team honors for the second-straight season after starting all 60 games in the outfield and posting 15 doubles, 10 home runs, 57 RBI, 66 runs scored and 11 stolen bases. Ciliento led Bryant with 16 multi-RBI games and was named a Collegiate Baseball Newspaper National Player of the Week after hitting four home runs and driving in 12 runs in a five-game week at the end of April. His 66 runs scored were the most by a Bulldog in DI program history.

This is the first All-New England honor for Mattison and comes after he went 9-1 with a 3.47 ERA as one of Bryant's top two starting pitchers. He struck out 67 over 80 1/3 innings on the season and was a First Team All-NEC selection. Mattison was his best down the stretch as he allowed three runs or less in each of his final 10 starts, including a six-inning, career high nine-strikeout performance in the NEC Tournament.

Bryant now has 60 All-New England selections since 2010, including one pitcher of the year, one coach of the year, two players of the year and two rookies of the year.