URBANA, Ohio – The National College Baseball Writers Association (NCBWA) released its 2019 Division II Atlantic Region Team on Wednesday and West Chester University featured two individuals on the squad, highlighted by senior
Jared Melone (North Wales, Pa./North Penn) being named the 2019 NCBWA Atlantic Region Player of the Year for the second year in row.
Melone, a two-time Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) East Athlete of the Year honoree, led the conference and ranked amongst the national leaders in batting average (.438), doubles (20), doubles per game (0.43), on-base percentage (.520), and slugging percentage (.784). Starting in all 47 games for West Chester at third base, Melone boasts the highest batting average of any player in the Atlantic Region this season, while ranking third in doubles, OB% and RBI (49). Melone ends his three-year career with the Purple & Gold with the second highest career batting average (.420), slugging percentage (.681), and on-base percentage (.477) in West Chester history and he currently sits No. 2 in program history with 28 career homers. Melone's 167 career RBI are the third most ever by a West Chester baseball player and he wraps up his career at West Chester ranking inside the top 10 in hits (233), runs (149), and total bases (378) in 150 total games played.
With his Atlantic Region First Team selection, Melone advances to All-American consideration, an honor he was given last year along with teammates
Shane Dressler and
Nick Ward.
Fellow infielder
Joe Zirolli (KENNETT, PA./KENNETT SQUARE) also earned a postseason accolade from the NCBWA on Wednesday, as the first baseman was named to the Atlantic Region Second Team. Starting in all 47 games at first, Zirolli paced the PSAC with 15 home runs and 60 RBI, with his 15 homers standing as the most by any Atlantic Region representative and the highest number of dingers in a season by any West Chester player in history. Zirolli finished the season ranking second in the region in RBI and his 60 total RBI in 169 at bats are tied for the sixth most in a single season in Golden Ram history. A master of hitting home runs when they were needed most, Zirolli went yard against every conference opponent at least once during the regular season and he notched multiple homers against Mansfield, Bloomsburg, and Lock Haven.
Mercyhurst's Matthew Minnick, the 2019 PSAC West Pitcher of the Year, was chosen as the NCBWA Atlantic Region Pitcher of the Year in Wednesday's release following a regular season where he led the region in strikeouts (116) and boasted the second lowest ERA of any Atlantic representative (2.14).
California (Pa.) skipper Mike Conte was named the 2019 NCBWA Atlantic Region Coach of the Year after leading the Vulcans to a 37-15 overall record behind a 19-9 mark in conference play to set new school records for both overall wins and league victories.
Of the 28 individuals selected to the All-Atlantic Team on Wednesday, only four will be playing in the NCAA Atlantic Super Regional Championship this weekend. No. 5 seed and host Mercyhurst landed both Minnick (First Team/POTY) and fellow pitcher Tyler Garbee (Second Team) on the squad, while No. 6 Charleston put second baseman Gianfranco Morello (First Team) and outfielder Colby Johnson (Second Team) on the list.
2019 NCBWA Division II Atlantic Region - Major Awards
Player of the Year - Jared Melone, West Chester
Pitcher of the Year – Matthew Minnick, Mercyhurst
Coach of the Year – Mike Conte, Cal U
NCBWA Division II Atlantic Region - First Team
SP – Matthew Minnick, Mercyhurst
SP – Eli Nabholz, Millersville
SP – Michael Stout, Fairmont State
RP – Todd Marshall, Notre Dame
C – Jordan Clark, Concord
1B – Eddie Nottingham, Shepherd
2B – Gianfranco Morello, Charleston
3B – Jared Melone, West Chester
SS – Anthony Stehlin, Concord
OF – Brenton Doyle, Shepherd
OF – Cole Friese, Millersville
OF – Jared Carr, Shepherd
DH – Andrew Chuba, Seton Hill
UTIL – Justin Smith, Shepherd
NCBWA Division II Atlantic Region - Second Team
SP – Tyler Garbee, Mercyhurst
SP – Deven Judy, Gannon
SP – Ashton Raines, Bloomsburg
RP – Tyler Yankosky, Millersville
C – Elijah Quiceno, Gannon
1B – Joe Zirolli, West Chester
2B – Kaylor Kulina, Millersville
3B – Syeed Mahdi, Shepherd
SS - Joe Campagna, Slippery Rock
OF – Liam McArthur, Lock Haven
OF – Colby Johnson, Charleston
OF – Eric Forbrick, West Virginia Wesleyan
DH – Nate Cardy, Gannon
UTIL – Cole Parks, Winston-Salem State
