SLIPPERY ROCK, PA – West Chester University landed two players on the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association (NCBWA) second team All-Atlantic Region squad with two more earning honorable mention accolades it was announced Thursday afternoon.
Senior outfielder,
Zack Wright (Columbus, N.J./No. Burlington County Regional), and freshman closer,
Kyle Lazer (Havertown, Pa./Msgr. Bonner & Prendie), were each named second team all-region while senior first baseman,
Mike Ferrara (Jamison, Pa./Archbishop Wood), and junior outfielder,
Luke Cantwell (Broomall, Pa./Marple Newtown), were honorable mention selections.
Wright picked up his second all-region nod in as many days with his selection to the second team. West Chester's leadoff hitter and left fielder is tied for second on the team in hitting with a .333 batting average. He has started all 40 games and collected 50 hits while scoring 54 runs. He has seven doubles, two triples and three home runs while knocking in 20. He has walked 32 times and been hit 10 times. He owns a .477 on-base percentage and a .944 OPS.
Wright leads the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) in stolen bases with 39 steals in 42 attempts. That is also a new single-season school record. He hasn't made an error in 56 chances in the outfield and has three assists as well. He was a first team All-PSAC selection earlier this year.
Lazer took the PSAC East by storm his first year in college ball and settled into the closer role rather early for second-year head coach
Mike LaRosa. The young fire-baller led the Golden Rams with a 1.69 earned run average in 32 innings. He was 4-1 with three saves in 16 appearances and struck out 33 while walking only eight. He allowed just 27 hits and authored a 1.09 WHIP as well.
Ferrara, a repeat selection to the second team, led the Golden Rams in hitting with a .369 batting average (52-for-141). He banged out 19 doubles and seven home runs while knocking in 58 runs. He posted a .652 slugging percentage and had nine sacrifice flies on the year. He appeared in and started 39 games for the Golden Rams and authored a 1.105 OPS. He was a second-team pick in 2021.
Cantwell posted a .304 batting average (45-for-148) with eight doubles, a team-best nine home runs, and 43 RBI. The Golden Rams' right fielder registered a .917 OPS and .541 slugging percentage while stealing 11 bases in 13 attempts. He had three assists from the outfield as well.
Millersville's Thomas Caufield was the NCBWA regional player of the year while Bloomsburg hurler Jared Marshman was the pitcher of the year. Slippery Rock head coach Jeff Messer was coach of the year.
West Chester opens the NCAA Division II Atlantic Regional Baseball Tournament Thursday afternoon.
Player of the Year: Thomas Caufield, R-Jr., Millersville
Pitcher of the Year: Jared Marshman, R-Jr., Bloomsburg
Coach of the Year: Jeff Messer, Slippery Rock
First Team
SP: Jared Marshman, R-Jr., Bloomsburg
SP: Eric Sapp, Gr., Gannon
SP: Chase Nowak, Gr., East Stroudsburg
SP: Adam Riggleman, Sr., Glenville State
RP: Nash Bryan, Sr., Seton Hill
C: Connor Hamilton*, Sr., Slippery Rock
1B: Josh Surowiec, Gr., Mercyhurst
2B: Jimmy Losh, Sr., Millersville
3B: Zack Saryeldin*, So., Concord
SS: Thomas Caufield, R-Jr., Millersville
OF: Bren Taylor*, Jr., Millersville
OF: Alex Robenolt, R-Jr., Slippery Rock
OF: Danny Estrada, Fr., Frostburg State
DH: Ben Newbert, R.-Sr., Bloomsburg
UTIL: Luke Trainer*, R.-Sr., Millersville
Second Team
SP: Dylan Brosky, Sr., Cal U
SP: Devin Dunn, Jr., Slippery Rock
SP: Ben Wilchacky, Jr., Millersville
SP: Ethan Soderna, Gr., Charleston
RP: Kyle Lazer, Fr., West Chester
C: Tyler Dellerman, R-Jr., Charleston
1B: Bryce Jackson, Sr., Frostburg State
2B: Andrew Stone, Gr., West Virginia State
3B: Jack Oberdorf, Jr., Seton Hill
SS: Ben Ross*, R-So., Notre Dame (Ohio)
OF: Zach Musgrove, Sr., Fairmont State
OF: Kyle Keenan, R-Jr., Concord
OF: Zack Wright, Gr., West Chester
DH: Ethan Kiple, Jr., Frostburg State
UTIL: Jacob McCaskey, Sr., Cal U
Honorable Mention: C-Calen Kampes, So., Glenville State;
1B-Mike Ferrara, Sr., West Chester;
2BHarrison Pontoli, Jr., Indiana (Pa.);
3B-Louden Conte, Gr., Cal U;
SS-Braxton Boddorf, R-Jr. Charleston;
OF-Eric Chartier, R-So., Charleston, Dylan Broderick, R-Jr., Pitt-Johnstown,
Luke Cantwell, So., West
Chester,
DH-J.R. Heavilin, So., Wheeling;
UTIL-Assaf Lowengart, Sr., Mansfield;
SP-Brent Francisco, R-So.,
East Stroudsburg; Nick Zegna, R-Jr., Shippensburg; Colt Webb, R-Sr., Charleston;
RP-Anthony Stehlin, Gr.,
Concord
* Two-time All-Region Selection
