Bucknell University Athletics
Bucknell Baseball Claims Three Patriot League Major Award Winners
5/7/2003 8:00:00 AM | Baseball
May 7, 2003
LEWISBURG, Pa. - After clinching the regular season title, the Bucknell baseball team was rewarded with three major Patriot League postseason baseball awards on Wednesday. The Bison posted the best single-season turnaround in league history with a 25-13 overall record and 15-5 in the Patriot League. Head coach Gene Depew was named by his peers coach of the year, for the third time in the last 10 years. Junior hurler Kevin Miller (Rochester, N.Y./Greece Olympia) and freshman closer Phil Futrick (Shillington, Pa./Governor Mifflin), were honored as pitcher and rookie of the year, respectively.
The Orange and Blue placed a league-best eight student athletes on the all-league teams, including five on the second team. Junior shortstop Ben Stoll (Swampscott, Mass./Swampscott) joined Miller and Futrick on the all-league first team.
Miller completed the regular season with a perfect 7-0 season, and 5-0 versus league components. The junior starting pitcher finished with a 2.25 earned run average, assisting the Bison to the lowest team ERA since 1975 (2.38).
Futrick tallied 11 saves on the season, setting a new Bucknell and Patriot League record, which tied for fifth in the NCAA stats. The rookie completed the regular season with a 2.57 ERA. He recorded 14 strikeouts in 14 innings pitched. He received Patriot Rookie of the Week honors twice this season.
Bison shortstop, Stoll finished the regular season tied for first in the PL with a .366 batting average. The junior belted 41 hits, including eight doubles, to go along with his 23 runs scored, 12 runs batted in, and 13 stolen bases.
Five Bison were named to the all-league second team, including senior pitcher Zach Allen (Port Royal, Pa./Juniata), sophomore catcher Phil Bunting (Ballaire, Texas/Ballaire), junior second baseman Sam Moss (Fresno, Calf./San Joaquin Memorial), junior outfielder Brian Hirschberg (Glen Rock, N.J./Glen Rock) and freshman outfielder Kyle Walter (Mifflinburg, Pa./Mifflinburg Area).
Allen (6-2) led the Patriot League with a 1.90 ERA in eight appearances. He held opponents to a Patriot League best .207 batting average, while averaging 7.17 strikeouts per inning. Allen recorded two one-hit games during PL competition. He is the first in Bison history to record two one-hit games in one season.
Moss broke the school and league single-season record with 16 sacrifice hits. The junior second baseman recorded team's second-best batting average (.333). Hirschberg leads the league and is tied for fourth nationally with six triples. The junior outfielder is also among the PL leaders in home runs (5), runs batted in (25), total bases (64) and slugging percentage (.577).
Bunting threw out 14 runner attempting to steal throughout the season. He tagged 15 hits with 12 runs scored and 15 RBI's. Walter recorded a .324 batting average and 25 runs. He also drove in 21 runs. The freshman was named rookie of the week on April 21.
Lehigh's Jesse Novalis received player of the year honors. Navy placed second-best seven players on the all-league teams, while Army and Lafayette each placed four.
The Bison clinched the regular season title and are the host team for the Patriot League Tournament on May 10-11. The weekend match-ups will begin at noon. Navy and Lehigh will play game one on Saturday and the winner will face Bucknell in a three-game nine-inning series beginning with one game on Saturday.
ALL-PATRIOT LEAGUE FIRST TEAM
Kevin Miller, Bucknell, Starting Pitcher
Rich McDevitt, Navy, Starting Pitcher
Phil Futrick, Bucknell, Relief Pitcher
Schuyler Williamson, Catcher
Walker Gorham, Army, 1B
Jeff Rodgers, Lafayette, 2B
Ben Stoll, Bucknell, SS
Jesse Novalis, Lehigh, 3B
Adam Rosenberg, Lafayette, OF
Craig Candeto, Navy, OF
Pete Curnow, Navy, OF
Matt Foster, Navy, DH
ALL-PATRIOT LEAGUE SECOND TEAM
Zach Allen, Bucknell, Starting Pitcher
Andy Froistad, Navy, Starting Pitcher
Dan Pluff, Army, Relief Pitcher
Phil Bunting, Bucknell, Catcher
Mike Marron, Holy Cross, Catcher
Rusty Hearn, Navy, Sr., 1B
Sam Moss, Bucknell, Jr., 2B
Matt Lukevics, Navy, So., 2B
Eric Hoffman, Lehigh, Jr., SS
Jason Boyd, Lafayette, 3B
Josh Holden, Army, OF
Brian Hirschberg, Bucknell, OF
Kyle Walter, Bucknell, OF
Adam Bucci, Lafayette, DH
Player of the Year: Jesse Novalis, Lehigh, Jr., 3B
Pitcher of the Year: Kevin Miller, Bucknell, Jr., SP
Rookie of the Year: Phil Futrick, Bucknell, Fr., RP
Coach of the Year: Gene Depew, Bucknell (third award - 1993 & 1996)
