Eddie Nevins Named D2CCA East Region Player of the Year in Leading Five Players on All-Region Teams

Eddie Nevins Named D2CCA East Region Player of the Year in Leading Five Players on All-Region Teams

NEWARK, Del. - - A day ahead of the NCAA Division II East Regional Tournament, the Wilmington University baseball team learned that five student-athletes were named a 2019 Division II Conference Commissioners Association All-East Region, including junior Eddie Nevins being named the East Region Player of the Year.

In a vote of the region's sports information directors, Eddie Nevins (Fairfax, Va.), Luke Johnson (Jarrettsville, Md.), and Dan Hyatt (Newark, Del.) were named First Team All-East Region while Kendall Small (Dover, Del.), and Brad Scull (Aston, Pa.) were named Second Team All-Region.

It is the first time in program history a Wildcat has been named the best player in the East Region. David Hatt was named the NCBWA East Region Pitcher of the Year in 2013, but Nevins becomes the first Player of the Year in the Wildcats' NCAA era.

Nevins, also the Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference Player of the Year, heads into the Regional Tournament with the third best batting average in the country at .442 (72-for-163), and an OPS slash line of .548/.736/1.284. He leads the entire East Region in average, on-base, slugging percentage and 62 runs scored. Nationally, he is second in Division II in on-base percentage, 17th in runs (62), 22nd in slugging, 23rd in triples (5), 39th in RBI (55), 50th in walks (37), and 52nd in hits. He is also carrying a 13-game hitting streak into the weekend.

Luke Johnson is a First Team outfielder, ranking second in the East Region with 12 home runs. His 59 RBI are tops among the three conferences and 23rd overall in Division II. He is hitting .389 on the year, ranking fourth in the CACC, with an OPS slash line of .461/.711/1.172. Six of his home runs have come in the final seven games of the year, including a three-run shot in the seventh inning against Dominican in the winner's bracket game of the CACC Tournament to take a 5-3 lead.

Dan Hyatt is the First Team Utility-Pitcher, batting .330 as a shortstop and going 9-1 with two saves on the mound. He's batted 31-for-94 on the ear with four doubles, two triples, and three homers, knocking in 21 runs while scoring 23 more. In 15 appearances, he's made 11 starts, going 9-1 in 69.2 innings pitched. He's struck out 74 batters with only 18 walks, heading into the weekend with a 2.84 ERA on the year. He earned wins in the CACC Tournament Play-In game and the CACC Tournament Championship game last weekend.

Kendall Small became the program's all-time hits and RBI leader this year, batting .366 on the year. He is third in the CACC with 53 RBI and has an OPS slash line of .441/.555/.996. He is second in the CACC with 19 doubles, adding one triple and five homers, scoring a third best 54 runs scored in the CACC.

Brad Scull started hot and finished strong for the Wildcats, missing a month of action due to an injury. HE won each of his first four starts of the year, dtriking out double digits in three of his outing. He only allowed two runs in 27.1 innings at that point, striking out 11 against Queens and again against Bridgeport. He's won his final two starts heading into this weekend as well, including the first game of the CACC Tournament against Jefferson, throwing six innings with four strikeouts. He's 6-0 on the year in eight starts, collecting 52 strikeouts in 44.2 innings pitched, all with a 1.21 ERA.

Adelphi's Ed Baram was named the D2CCA East Region Pitcher of the Year after going 7-1 in 11 starts with a 1.19 ERA. He comes into this weekend with 69 strikeouts and only 13 walks.

The First Team honorees are eligible to be nominated for the D2CCA All-America voting process. The 2019 D2CCA Baseball All-America Team will be announced on Friday, May 31.

AGATE:

2019 Division II CCA Baseball All-East Region Teams

First Team:

C – Eric Gilham – Chestnut Hill College
1B – Andrew Taft – Le Moyne College
2B – Justin Decker – Dominican (N.Y.) College
3B – Joey Porricelli – Merrimack College
SS – John Mooradian – Mercy College
OF – EJ Cumbo – NYIT
OF – Rosario Missiti – Post University
OF – Luke Johnson – Wilmington (Del.) University
DH – Tyler Criscuolo – Southern Connecticut State University
UTIL – Eddie Nevins – Wilmington (Del.) University
UTIL (Pitcher) – Dan Hyatt – Wilmington (Del.) University
SP – Ed Baram – Adelphi University
SP – Joshua Loeschorn – LIU Post
SP – Jake Walkinshaw – Southern New Hampshire University
SP – Dan Wirchansky – Pace University
RP – Jeffrey Praml – Southern New Hampshire University

Second Team:

C – Anthony Vaglica – LIU Post
1B – Kendall Small – Wilmington (Del.) University
2B – Mike Salmonese – Pace University
2B – Danny Healey Jr. – Felician University
3B – Tyree Bradley – Bloomfield College
SS – Joshua Colon – Dominican (N.Y.) College
OF – John LaRocca – NYIT
OF – Brad Roberto – Franklin Pierce University
OF – Max Troiani – Bentley University
DH – Lawrence Cicileo – Adelphi University
UTIL – Brett Malm – Adelphi University
UTIL (Pitcher) – Luis Grullart – Mercy College
SP – James Varela – LIU Post
SP – Cam Monagle – Merrimack College
SP – Brad Scull – Wilmington (Del.) University
SP – David Gauthier – Nyack College
RP – Tom Ambrosino – Adelphi University

2019 D2CCA Baseball East Region Player of the Year:
Eddie Nevins – Wilmington (Del.) University

2019 D2CCA Baseball East Region Pitcher of the Year:
Ed Baram – Adelphi University