All-Time All Conference HonorsAnnville, PA - The Commonwealth Conference released the 2015 baseball conference awards on Tuesday morning and Messiah College was honored with seven recognitions.
Joseph Saufley and
Steven Ridings led the seven Messiah recipients; earning First Team honors at first base and starting pitcher respectively.
Joining Saufley and Ridings with All-Commonwealth honors were second baseman
Zach Brubaker, right fielder
Derek Drake, centerfielder
Jon Heisey, designated hitter
Kyle Schoen, and catcher
Jon Mullin. Brubaker, Drake, Heisey and Schoen took home Second Team honors, while Mullin picked up an Honorable Mention.
Saufley was named to the First Team for the second consecutive season. A year ago he was honored as a utility player while this season he earned the First Team selection as a first baseman. In his junior season, Saufley had a breakout year and etched his name into the Messiah record books in the process.
On the year Saufley either leads the Falcons or is tied for the team lead in batting average (.423), hits (52), RBI (29), doubles (11), triples (seven), home runs (five), total bases (92), slugging percentage (.748), and on-base percentage (.470).
His seven triples are tied with the single season record in Messiah program history, a record that has been untouched since it was set in 1971 by Rick Speck. If his season was impressive enough, Saufley also went on a 17-game hitting streak in the month of April (also a program record). During the streak Saufley batted .515 and collected 12 multi-hit games.
Steven Ridings earned his second All-Commonwealth section as he was named First Team this season. Ridings was the anchor of the Falcons' pitching staff this season. He has complied a 4-3 record while throwing a 58 innings at a 3.41 ERA. Ridings has completed three of his team-high eight starts and in his lone relief appearance of the season, pick up a save.
Right fielder
Derek Drake earned his third All-Commonwealth selection with the Second Team honor this season. While Drake, a career .319 hitter, has always been a consistent bat in the middle of the Falcons lineup, this season he has stepped up his power numbers with four home runs. Drake has had a career year in a number of categories including batting average (.333), home runs (four), slugging percentage (.516), and stolen bases (five).
With his third career All-Commonwealth selection, Drake becomes the first Falcon since Wes Hollenbach '12 to earn honors in three different years.
Earning All-commonwealth honors for the fist time were a pair of seniors, second baseman
Zach Brubaker and centerfielder
Jon Heisey. Brubaker earned Second Team honors thanks to a strong all around game. The scrappy infielder leads the Falcons in stolen bases (13) and batted a career high .326 this season while anchoring the Falcons' infield defense (.963 fielding percentage).
Like Brubaker, Heisey earned his first All-Commonwealth selection in his senior season. Heisey has had a breakout season in his final year with the Falcons. The centerfielder brings all five tools to the Falcons outfield, he has batted .333 on the season, with 30 runs scored, 28 RBI, five doubles, four triples, five home runs, and eight stolen bases. Two of his five home runs were grand slams and they both came in the same week at the end of April.
In his first career start
Kyle Schoen connected for two home runs and has been a fixture in the Messiah lineup ever since. At designated hitter, Schoen has put together an impressive freshman campaign, batting .369 (second on the team) with 16 RBI, an on-base percentage of .423, and a .508 slugging percentage.
Falcons' backstop,
Jon Mullin earned an Honorable Mention to the All-Commonwealth team for his play behind the dish for Messiah. Mullin has started all 21-conference games this season behind the plate, no small feat for a first-year starter at catcher. While playing nearly every day behind the plate, Mullin has thrown out 45.8% of runners trying to steal on him (11-24).
In addition to his durability, Mullin has put together a very solid season at the plate. He has hit .293 on the season with six doubles, a home run, 15 RBI, and 12 runs scored.
With a weekend sweep of Widener the Falcons earned a spot in the Commonwealth Tournament that begins this weekend. The Falcons are the number two seed and will face off with the number three-seeded Stevenson Mustangs on Thursday night at 7:00 p.m. at Santander Stadium in York, Pa.
A complete listing of All-Commonwealth honors is below:
Player of the Year: Ben Sawyer, Alvernia (Sr.)
Pitcher of the Year: Kevin Becker-Menditto, Alvernia (Sr.)
Rookie of the Year: Josh Gall, Hood (Fr.)
Coach of the Year: Yogi Lutz, Alvernia
First Team All-CommonwealthPitcher -
Steven Ridings, Messiah (Jr.)
Pitcher - Joe Santone, Widener (Jr.)
Relief Pitcher - Kevin Becker-Menditto, Alvernia (Sr.)
Catcher - Josh Gall, Hood (Fr.)
First Base -
Joseph Saufley, Messiah (Jr.)
Second Base - Brok Martin, Alvernia (Sr.)
Shortstop - Troy Miller, Stevenson Senior
Third Base - Nick Todero, Arcadia (Jr.)
Outfield - Phill Dohner, Lebanon Valley (Sr.)
Outfield - Greg McDonough, Widener (So.)
Outfield - Ben Sawyer, Alvernia (Sr.)
Designated Hitter - Craig Joseph, Stevenson (Jr.)
Utility - Chris Burns, Alvernia (Jr.)
Second Team All-CommonwealthPitcher - Robert Barth, Widener (Sr.)
Pitcher - Alec Romanowski, Stevenson (Jr.)
Relief Pitcher - Louis Marotta, Alvernia (Jr.)
Catcher - Dylan Boll, Albright (Sr.)
First Base - Cameron Coons, Alvernia (So.)
Second Base -
Zach Brubaker, Messiah (Sr.)
Shortstop - Zach Smith, Lebanon Valley (Jr.)
Third Base - Dan George, Alvernia (Jr.)
Outfield -
Derek Drake, Messiah (Sr.)
Outfield -
Jon Heisey, Messiah (Sr.)
Outfield - Michael Nessel, Arcadia (Jr.)
Outfield - Matt Scherer, Widener (Sr.)
Designated Hitter -
Kyle Schoen, Messiah (Fr.)
Utility - Nathan Fretz, Albright (So.)
Honorable MentionSecond Base - Justin Chasmar, Arcadia (So.)
Shortstop - Tyler Cook, Hood (Fr.)
Catcher -
Jon Mullin, Messiah (So.)
Designated Hitter - Zach Nadolny, Alvernia (Sr.)
Relief Pitcher - Travis Schweizer, Hood (Fr.)
Pitcher - Casey Wall, Lebanon Valley (So.)
Third Base - Brooks Warrenfeltz, Hood (Fr.)
Designated Hitter - Andonis Yiantsos, Arcadia (Sr.)
