Five baseball players land on All-Region Team for Generals
HERKIMER, NY – The Herkimer Generals baseball team has added more accolades to their 2014 season, which has included a birth to the NJCAA DIII World Series starting this Saturday, May 24th. Four players were named to the first-team All-Region Team and one was named to the second team.
The three everyday players to make it first team were short stop Tyler Phillips (Hancock, NY), centerfielder A.J. Fabrizio (Palm City, FL) and catcher John Boland (Rhinebeck, NY). Phillips led his team with 83 assists on the season, but made his biggest impact at the plate. The freshman had a team-high .429 batting average with 66 hits, 49 runs scored, two home runs and 23RBIs. His 19 doubles in 43 games has Phillips ranked sixth in the nation. He also tied Fabrizio with the team lead in runs scored which is 11th best in the nation. As for Fabrizio, who played in every game but one this entire season, led the Generals from his cleanup spot in the lineup. His 43 RBIs were first on the team, knocking in three or more RBIs in a game six times in 2014. Fabrizio was also fourth on the team in putouts with 77. Finally, for Boland, he hit .412 in 37 games with the team lead in home runs (4) and slugging percentage (.637). All four of his home runs came with runners on base, getting two three-run home runs twice, most recently in the Region III Semifinals against Erie, giving his team a 4-0 they did not relinquish. It helped him finish with 36 RBIs, second best on the team.
Sophomore Michael DeCarlo (Wynantskill, NY) was one of three pitchers to make it first team. DeCarlo was second in the region in wins (8), first in the region in ERA (1.07), 10th in the region in strikeouts (44) and first in the region in complete game shutouts (4). DeCarlo only allowed six earned runs in nine appearances this season, never allowing more than two earned runs in any game.
Sophomore outfielder Christopher Burns III (Endicott, NY) was the lone General to make it to the second team. Burns III hit .400 with one home run and 36 RBIs in 44 games this season. His 13 doubles were second on the team and 56 hits were third. The left-hander had two or more RBIs in 14 games for the Generals, attaining four against Columbia-Greene which was a season-high on May 5th.
-Giorgio Varlaro