Kelly top rookie; among six Seahawks on All-CCC

NEWPORT, R.I. - After head coach Steve Cirella earned his 300th career coaching victory and the Salve Regina University baseball team began receiving votes for the top eight programs in New England, the Seahawks placed six players on the 2013 Commonwealth Coast Conference (CCC) all-conference team, headlined by a Rookie of the Year selection for freshman Ryan Kelly (Waldwick, N.J.).

Kelly, a first-team all-league outfielder, had an exciting freshman campaign for the Seahawks as he ranks amid the top six in the league for seven offensive categories. He is currently leading the league in runs scored (52), while also ranking among the top in stolen bases (25, 2nd), total bases (71, T2nd), on base percentage (.478, 4th), slugging percentage (.573, 4th), and hits (44, T6th).

The rookie hit .355 (44-for-124) on the season and also recorded 26 RBI, drew 16 walks, hit eight doubles, legged out five triples, and belted three home runs. Salve Regina (27-10; 12-4 CCC) has earned the No. 3 seed in the upcoming CCC Championship Tournament and will host No. 4 seeded Roger Williams on Thursday, May 2 at 3 p.m.

Joining Kelly on the first team are designated hitter Tyler Colby (Easton, Conn.), catcher Dominic Di Sano (Central Falls, R.I.), and pitcher Kyle Pheland (No. Scituate, R.I.).

Colby currently leads the league in batting average (.413) with 10 of his 43 hits going for extra bases (nine doubles, one triple). He ranks eighth in the league with 28 runs batted in and has scored 22 runs in addition to swiping six bases.

Di Sano stands out among all catchers in the league. He combines his defensive duties and handling of the pitching staff with a productive offensive game. He ranks fourth in the league in RBI (33) while batting .368 with a dozen doubles, one triple, and three home runs. His .570 slugging percentage ranks second on the Seahawks just behind Kelly.

Benefitting from the junior backstop is sophomore righty Pheland. Overall, Pheland is succeeding with a 6-2 record (4-1 CCC) and a 2.55 earned run average which ranks fifth in the league. He has the most innings pitched on the Seahawks (49.1) entering Thursday's postseason, and has struck out 34 batters - good for 6.20 strikeouts per game. Pheland's control sets him apart from the pack, issuing only five free passes thus far in 2013.

The league's leading run-producer - sophomore Joe Haley (North Kingstown, R.I.) - landed on the all-conference second team as a third baseman. Haley, who moved over to the corner from second base a year ago, tops all CCC players with 36 runs batted in. He's belted 12 doubles and three triples while stealing six bases. His patience at the plate has delivered 22 bases on balls, second in league behind teammate and fellow infielder, Sean Becker (Richmond, Va.) with 24 walks. Haley carries a six-game hit streak into the playoffs.

Freshman outfielder Ryan Sweenor (South Kingstown, R.I.) rounds out the all-conference selections for Salve Regina. Playing in 35 of the team's 37 games, he ranks second on the Seahawks in batting (.369). Sweenor has 11 doubles and hit his first collegiate home run during the first home doubleheader of the season for the Seahawks - a sweep over Eastern Nazarene College on March 23.

2013 ALL-CCC BASEBALL TEAM

FIRST TEAM

C - Dominic Di Sano, Salve Regina, Junior
1B - Brett Holmgren, Endicott, Senior
2B - Harry Oringer, Endicott, Sophomore
3B - Mike Rubino, Western New England, Senior
SS - Brian Harrington, Gordon, Senior
OF - Ryan Kelly, Salve Regina, Freshman
OF - Conor Ressel, Endicott, Junior
OF - Jeff Schult, Western New England, Junior
DH - Tyler Colby, Salve Regina, Junior
P - Tyler Hitchcock, Endicott, Senior
P - Mike Lospinuso, Western New England, Senior
P - Kyle Pheland, Salve Regina, Sophomore

SECOND TEAM

C - EJ Martinez, Endicott, Junior
1B - Steve Ambrosino, Western New England, Junior
2B - Joe Hulme, Wentworth, Sophomore
3B - Joe Haley, Salve Regina, Sophomore
SS - John Oppenhimer, Roger Williams, Senior
OF - Sam Barron, Curry, Senior
OF - Colin Sitarz, Endicott, Graduate
OF - Ryan Sweenor, Salve Regina, Freshman
DH - Steve Buckley, Western New England, Sophomore
P - Trevor Breton, Western New England, Sophomore
P - Brendan Nugent, Western New England, Junior
P - Tyler Pogmore, Roger Williams, Junior

HONORABLE MENTION

C - Jake Mailman, Wentworth, Sophomore
C - David Manning, Eastern Nazarene, Junior
1B - Reid Nelson, Roger Williams, Sophomore
1B - Alex Potocki, Gordon, Freshman
2B - Ryan Garza, Eastern Nazarene, Sophomore
2B - Eric Walker, Gordon, Freshman
3B - Matthew Paola, Endicott, Freshman
3B - Anthony Berroa, Eastern Nazarene, Junior
SS - Kyle McKelvey, Western New England, Senior
SS - Jon Spitz, Wentworth, Junior
OF - Matt Anthonis, Western New England, Senior
OF - Dillon Coleman, Gordon, Senior
OF - Tad Gold, Endicott, Junior
OF -Matt Jefferis, Roger Williams, Sophomore
OF - Mike Pascarella, Roger Williams, Junior
OF - Eric Rinaldi, Gordon, Freshman
DH - Ryan Delgado, Wentworth, Senior
DH - Eric Lemke, Endicott, Senior

P - Mike Nich, Endicott, Graduate
P - Sean Boyle, Roger Williams, Junior
P - Brian Harrington, Gordon, Senior
P - Kevin Dupras, Endicott, Senior
P - Ben Lewis, Wentworth, Junior 

INDIVIDUAL AWARDS

PLAYER OF THE YEAR - Mike Rubino, Western New England
PITCHER OF THE YEAR - Tyler Hitchcock, Endicott
ROOKIE OF THE YEAR - Ryan Kelly, Salve Regina
SENIOR SCHOLAR-ATHLETE OF THE YEAR - Colin Sitarz, Endicott
COACH OF THE YEAR - Bryan Haley, Endicott
TEAM SPORTSMANSHIP AWARD - Roger Williams University