ERIE, Pa. - Mercyhurst College baseball players
Jordan Backes and
Bill Gerstenslager have been named 2010 Daktronics, Inc. Division II All-Atlantic Region players in voting conducted by the region’s directors of athletics communication/sports information directors.
Both earned spots on the Second Team, with Backes representing the Lakers as a starting pitcher and Gerstenslager as designated hitter.
West Virginia Intercollegiate Athletic Conference members Greyson Schram (Concord University) and Noah Mull (Wheeling Jesuit) were named the region’s player and pitcher and of the year, respectively.
An All-PSAC West First Team selection, Backes, became the Lakers’ most dependable starter during his senior season after transferring from Quincy. He led the team with a 6-3 record, 2.67 ERA and 69 strikeouts in 63 2/3 innings pitched. He ranked highly among PSAC starting pitchers, ranking second in ERA and third in strikeouts.
Backes threw a masterful, two-hit complete-game shutout against eventual PSAC champion Cal March 19, earning PSAC West Pitcher of the Week in the process. He went 4-1 with a 2.37 ERA in PSAC West competition.
His 69 strikeouts are tied for the ninth-best single-season total in program history. He struck out seven or more batters in seven out of his 11 starts, including back-to-back eight-strikeout contests to close the regular season.
A Solon, Ohio native, Gerstenslager was a versatile player who helped the Lakers’ lineup offensively and on the mound. The freshman started 22 of 31 contests, working his way into the starting lineup as the designated hitter after the annual spring training trip and had nine multiple-hit games to go along with an 11-game hitting streak, the longest of any Laker in 2010. Gerstenslager finished with a .388 batting average (31-for-80, 5 2B, 3B, HR) to rank second on the team and knocked in 13 RBI while adding 17 runs scored. On the mound, the right-hander appeared in five, earning two starts. He posted an 8.18 ERA, allowing 12 runs on 11 hits while striking out six.
Both helped the Lakers to their second-straight Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference Tournament after finishing the regular season as the Western Division’s No. 3 seed with a 16-8 mark. Mercyhurst finished the 2010 campaign with a 26-22 record to mark the Lakers sixth consecutive 25-win season, the longest streak in program history. Five players earned All-PSAC West honors, including freshman
Ben Rawding who was named the division’s Rookie of the Year.
Daktronics All-Atlantic Region Baseball First Team
C- Pat Trettel (Seton Hill)
1B- Nathan Minnich (Shepherd)
2B- Greyson Schram (Concord)
SS- Paul Bingham (IUP)
3B- Brian Collins (Shepherd)
UTIL- Matt McCamley (LHU)
DH- Zach Martin (UPJ)
OF- Shayne Houck (Kutztown)
OF- Sam DiMatteo (California)
OF- Troy Handza (California)
SP- Noah Mull (Wheeling Jesuit)
SP- Randy Sturgill (California)
SP- Fred Breidenbach (WCU)
SP- Nathan Reed (Kutztown)
RP- Bernard Johnson (Mansfield)
Player of the Year: Greyson Schram (Concord)
Pitcher of the Year: Noah Mull (Wheeling Jesuit)
Daktronics All-Atlantic Region Baseball Second Team
C- Bob Stumpo (WCU)
1B- Kyle Stryker (IUP)
2B- Joe Wendle (WCU)
SS- Donovan Huffer (Concord)
3B- James Quigley (Kutztown), Matt Coker (W. Va. Wesleyan )
UTIL- Kyle Petty (California)
DH- Bill Gerstenslager (Mercyhurst)
OF-Cory Flickinger (W. Va. Wesleyan )
OF-Andrew Armstrong (Charleston)
OF-Bo Darby (West Virginia St.)
SP-Ronnie Whitt (Alderson-Broaddus)
SP-Brooks Cullen (Concord)
SP-Jordan Backes (Mercyhurst)
SP-Christian Saveri (East Stroudsburg)
RP- Evan Kendall (West Virginia State)