MANSFIELD, Pa. – Four West Chester University baseball players were honored as 2010 NCAA Division II Rawlings/ABCA First Team Gold Glove award winners from the Atlantic Region it was announced by that coaches’ association this week.
Senior catcher Bob Stumpo, sophomore second baseman Joe Wendle, sophomore third baseman Josh Heyne and senior outfielder Kevin McGrath were all recognized by the regional gold glove committee, who selected a first team and a second team.
Stumpo committed just two errors behind the plate and threw out 16 of 46 would-be base-stealers, breaking the school’s all-time record in that category. Stumpo threw out 46 base-stealers during his four-year career as the Golden Rams’ backstop. He allowed just 10 passed balls all season as well, authoring a .994 fielding percentage. He registered 299 putouts and 33 assists on the year while playing all 53 games behind the plate.
Wendle, widely considered one of the best middle infielders in the Atlantic Region, put up a .969 fielding percentage while making just six errors in 260 chances. He recorded 100 putouts, 152 assists and was in on 30 double plays. Wendle was a semifinalist for the Tino Martinez Division II player of the year award as handed out by Ping! Baseball. He led West Chester in hitting with a .389 batting average that included 20 doubles, five triples and seven home runs. Wendle was a first team All-PSAC East selection and registered the second-best fielding percentage among second basemen in the Eastern Division.
Josh Heyne picks up his first gold glove after posting a .922 fielding percentage and committing just 11 errors at the hot corner. He recorded 105 assists and 25 putouts at third base while hitting .312 at the plate. Heyne handed 141 chances and helped turn eight double plays as well.
Kevin McGrath authored a .978 fielding percentage in left field for the Golden Rams. He committed just two errors and registered nine assists from the outfield. He even doubled up one base runner this year. He made 79 putouts in 90 chances this spring. Meanwhile, at the plate, McGrath hit .363 and scored 65 runs from his leadoff position in the batting order.
First Team
CATCHER Bob Stumpo, West Chester
1ST BASEMAN Jared Frey, Kutztown
2ND BASEMAN Joe Wendle, West Chester
3RD BASEMAN Josh Heyne, West Chester
SHORTSTOP Josh Bower, West Virginia State
OUTFIELD Troy Handza, California
OUTFIELD Kevin McGrath, West Chester
OUTFIELD Craig Denman, Mercyhurst
PITCHER Jimmy Miller, Shippensburg
Second Team
CATCHER Brendan O’Connor East Stroudsburg
1ST BASEMAN Mark Henry, Seton Hill
2ND BASEMAN Dave McCarthy, Seton Hill
3RD BASEMAN Mike Hartz, Mansfield
SHORTSTOP Donavan Huffer, Concord
OUTFIELD Marcus Weese, Davis and Elkins
OUTFIELD Casey Zimmerman, East Stroudsburg
OUTFIELD Frank Sirolli, IUP
PITCHER Forrest Mengle, Millersville
