Theetge, Wright named CBN All-Americans
SMITHFIELD, R.I. – Bryant University baseball senior Steve Theetge (Syracuse, N.Y.) and junior Chris Wright (Cumberland, R.I.) have been named Collegiate Baseball Newspaper All-America Third Team selections, the organization announced on Thursday.
Theetge and Wright become the eighth and ninth All-Americans in Bryant's Division I program history and the first teammates to earn All-American honors since Robby Rinn, Matt Albanese and James Karinchak in 2016. They are the fourth and fifth players to receive All-America citations from Collegiate Baseball Newspaper.
Bryant's No. 1 starter, Theetge adds All-American honors to an already impressive resume that includes Northeast Conference and New England Pitcher of the Year honors. Theetge's enjoyed one of the best seasons for a pitcher in program history, going 9-2 with a 1.75 ERA and 96 strikeouts in a program record 102 2/3 innings. That included 13 2/3 innings in the NEC Tournament in which he allowed one unearned run on just five hits.
Theetge currently ranks 12th nationally in ERA and seventh in innings pitched. Theetge delivered 13 starts of three runs or less and became Bryant's all-time winningest pitcher during the season. He wraps up his career with a 32-14 record, 270 strikeouts and a 3.03 ERA in a program record 344 1/3 innings.
Wright earns All-American honors as a utility player after serving as Bryant's starting first baseman in all 60 games as well as the closer. He finished the year hitting .297 with 14 doubles, six home runs, a career-high 51 RBI and 45 runs scored.
On the mound, Wright was one of the most electric pitchers in the country. He appeared in 21 games, going 1-1 with a program-record tying 13 saves, a 2.36 ERA and 64 strikeouts in just 34 1/3 innings. Wright started the year by recording 18 of his first 25 outs via the strikeout and closed out both of Bryant's wins over Virginia Tech, helping the Black and Gold win a weekend series vs. an ACC team for the first time ever. He is also a semifinalist for the John Olerud Two-Way Player of the Year award.