Annville, PA - Hours before the Falcons are scheduled to take on No. 1-seeded Widener University on day two of the Commonwealth Championships Tournament the conference released the 2014 All-Commonwealth awards. Five Falcons were listed among the recipients with
Derek Drake and
Joseph Saufley landing on the First Team.
Ben Sollenberger,
John Griffitts, and
Jacob Sprengle were also honored.
L to R, Drake, Saufley, Sollenberger, Griffitts, Sprengle Through last night's win over No. 2 Alvernia University
Derek Drake is batting .302 for Messiah with 12 doubles and 18 RBI. He's played in all of the Falcons' 33 games (31 starts) and is second on the team in both hits (35) and runs scored (22).
Saufley is batting .354 in a breakout season as a utility player for Messiah. He's picked up eight doubles and 16 RBI with a .523 slugging percentage. He also has a single homerun, a three-run walk-off against Elizabethtown in mid-April.
Ben Sollenberger was elected to the Second Team. The Falcons' centerfielder is batting .301 and is second on the team with 22 RBI. He has collected 31 hits and is tied with Drake for the team lead in doubles (12).
Griffitts and Sprengle were both named Honorable Mention. Griffitts has been a dynamic relief pitcher for the Falcons and carries a 4-0 record and 3.04 earned run average across 23.2 innings pitched (11 appearances). He's struck out 19 batters and allowed just seven walks and 19 hits while holding opposing batters to a .207 average.
Sprengle, meanwhile, leads the team with a .362 average with 33 starts at first base. He also leads the team in hits (42), homeruns (3), RBI (25), total bases (64), and slugging (.552). A steady presence on the field and at the plate, he's been a stubborn out for opposing pitchers to the tune of a .411 on-base percentage.
A complete listing of the All-Commonwealth honors is below:
| Player of the Year | Michael Riverso | Widener | | | |
| Pitcher of the Year | Colin Weiss | Widener | | | |
| Rookie of the Year | Michael Elfreth | Widener | | | |
| Coach of the Year | Mike LaRosa | Widener | | | |
| | | | | |
| First Team | | | | | |
| Position | Name | School | Year | Hometown | High School |
| Pitcher | Mike Weinhold | Alvernia | SR | Robesonia, PA | Conrad Weiser |
| Pitcher | Colin Weiss | Widener | SR | Red Hill, PA | Upper Perkiomen |
| Relief Pitcher | Kevin Becker-Menditto | Alvernia | JR | Frederick, MD | Walkersville |
| Catcher | Jordan Higgins | Lebanon Valley | SR | Doylesburg, PA | Fannett Metal |
| First Base | Michael Riverso | Widener | SR | Philadelphia, PA | Neumann-Goretti |
| Second Base | Kyle Fackler | Elizabethtown | FR | Harrisburg, PA | Central Dauphin East |
| Shortstop | Kyle Gable | Elizabethtown | SR | Emmaus, PA | Emmaus |
| Third Base | Michael Elfreth | Widener | FR | Washington Twp., NJ | St. Augustine |
| Outfield | Bob Barnett | Widener | FR | Glenolden, PA | Interboro |
| Outfield | Derek Drake | Messiah | JR | Chesterfield, VA | Matoaca |
| Outfield | Chris Gehris | Alvernia | SR | Sinking Spring, PA | Holy Name |
| Designated Hitter | Zac Okonski | Albright | JR | Reading, PA | Antietam |
| Utility | Joseph Saufley | Messiah | SO | Hershey, PA | Homeschool |
| | | | | |
| Second Team | | | | | |
| Position | Name | School | Year | Hometown | High School |
| Pitcher | Greg Myers | Stevenson | SR | Baltimore, MD | Parkville |
| Pitcher | Alec Romanowski | Stevenson | SO | Endwell, NY | Maine Endwell |
| Relief Pitcher | Trevor Mastria | Albright | FR | Brick, NJ | Brick |
| Catcher | Dylan Boll | Albright | JR | Sinking Spring, PA | Wilson |
| First Base | Matt Patterson | Alvernia | SR | Hamilton, NJ | Nottingham |
| Second Base | Nate Peiffer | Albright | SR | Robesonia, PA | Conrad Weiser |
| Shortstop | Richie Ricciardi | Alvernia | JR | Manalapan, NJ | Manalapan |
| Third Base | Jason Clapper | Alvernia | FR | Mt. Laurel, NJ | Lenape |
| Outfield | Corey Cinicola | Lebanon Valley | SR | Jim Thorpe, PA | Jim Thorpe |
| Outfield | Ben Sollenberger | Messiah | SO | Gainesville, FL | Sante Fe |
| Outfield | Kevin Wu | Stevenson | SO | Cherry Hill, NJ | Cherry Hill East |
| Designated Hitter | Ben Sawyer | Alvernia | JR | Matawan, NJ | Christian Brothers Academy |
| Utility | Andonis Yiantsos | Arcadia | JR | Voorhees, NJ | Eastern Regional |
| | | | | |
| Honorable Mention | | | | | |
| Position | Name | School | Year | Hometown | High School |
| Pitcher | Robert Barth | Widener | JR | Norristown, PA | Pope John Paul II |
| Catcher | Chris Burns | Alvernia | SO | Cherry Hill, NJ | Holy Cross |
| Pitcher | Kris Davis | Elizabethtown | JR | Doylestown, PA | Central Bucks East |
| Second Base | Zac Edwards | Lebanon Valley | FR | North Catasauqua, PA | Catasauqua |
| Utility | Tim Filer | Lebanon Valley | SR | Richboro, PA | Council Rock North |
| Designated Hitter | Elliott Freeman | Arcadia | SR | Bangor, PA | Bangor Area |
| Relief Pitcher | John Griffitts | Messiah | FR | North East, MD | Home School |
| Outfield | Alex Holbert | Elizabethtown | JR | Mechanicsburg, PA | Mechanicsburg |
| Designated Hitter | Sean Jones | Elizabethtown | SO | Wayne, NJ | DePaul Catholic |
| Third Base | John Medvecky | Albright | JR | Drums, PA | Drums, Pa |
| Second Base | Troy Miller | Stevenson | JR | Shrewsbury, PA | Susquehannock |
| Utility | Michael Nessel | Arcadia | SO | Stuart, FL | Indian River |
| Pitcher | Steve Price | Alvernia | JR | Barto, PA | Boyertown |
| Shortstop | Zac Smith | Lebanon Valley | SO | Lebanon, PA | Cedar Crest |
| Outfield | Mike Specht | Lebanon Valley | SR | Hamburg, PA | Hamburg |
| First Base | Jacob Sprengle | Messiah | SR | Williamstown, NJ | Williamstown |
| Utility | Tyler Weary | Elizabethtown | JR | Gardners, PA | Carlisle |
