Garzillo named Preseason Patriot League Player of the Year, Lehigh predicted third
2/10/2016 10:56:00 AM | Baseball
Patriot League Release
BETHLEHEM, Pa. – The defending Patriot League champion Lehigh baseball team has been predicted to finish third in the league and senior second baseman Mike Garzillo has been tabbed as the Preseason Player of the Year, as announced in the league's preseason poll Wednesday. Garzillo and junior Jacen Nalesnik were also named to the preseason All-Patriot League team.
Garzillo, a two-time first team All Patriot League and Academic All-League member, returns to Lehigh after a standout junior season that culminated in being drafted by the New York Yankees in the 38th round of the 2015 MLB draft. The second baseman finished his junior campaign with a .359 batting average and a league-best 54 RBI and .651 slugging percentage that ranked 19th in Division I. He set a Lehigh single-season home run record with 13 long balls and finished the season with 75 hits, the second most in a single season at Lehigh. Garzillo was named the MVP of the Patriot League Tournament after leading Lehigh to its second-ever league crown before earning a spot on the NCAA Baton Rouge Regional All-Tournament team. His long list of postseason laurels included being named a Baseball America second team All-American, the NCBWA District I Player of the Year and an ABCA/Rawlings East First Team All-Region honoree.
Garzillo's preseason Patriot League Player of the Year honor adds to his growing list of preseason awards as the senior was recently named a third team Louisville Slugger Preseason All-American by Collegiate Baseball, a fourth team Preseason All-American by College Sports Madness, the DI Baseball Preseason Patriot League Player of the Year and the Baseball America Preseason Patriot League Player of the Year and number one Patriot League draft prospect for the 2016 draft. Senior pitchers Brandon Kulp and Kevin Long joined Garzillo on the top prospects list as the No. 3 and No. 4 prospects, respectively.
Nalesnik returns as the anchor of Lehigh's outfield after a strong sophomore campaign in which he ranked third on the team with a .303 batting average. The Lehighton, Pa. native ranked second on the team in RBI (35), doubles (14), sacrifice bunts (7) and at bats (201) in 2015 and recorded 17 multiple-hit games and seven multiple-RBI games.
Navy (44 points, 6 first-place votes) was predicted to finish first in the league, followed by Holy Cross in second (41 points, three first-place votes) and Lehigh in third (33 points, three first-place votes). Bucknell (30), Lafayette (17) and Army West Point (15) comprised the bottom portion of the preseason poll. The Mountain Hawks will host Holy Cross and Lafayette in Patriot League weekend series this season at Legacy Park. The voting for both the preseason poll and All-Patriot League Team was conducted by baseball head coaches and sports information directors, who were not permitted to vote for their own team or student-athletes.
After being picked to finish third in the preseason poll last year, the Mountain Hawks finished the regular season in second place with a 12-8 league record that was part of a 25-31 overall mark. Lehigh beat No. 3 Holy Cross in a three-game semifinal series before taking down top-seeded Navy on the road to earn the Mountain Hawks' second-ever Patriot League crown and trip to the NCAA Tournament. Lehigh returns two of last season's four All-Patriot League selections in Garzillo and fellow first-team honoree junior Patrick Donnelly. Long and senior Kevin Boswick are the top returnees to the rotation.
Lehigh kicks off the 2016 season on Saturday and Sunday Feb. 20-21 with a three-game set at Norfolk State. The Mountain Hawks make their debut at Legacy Park on Sunday, March 13 with a 12 p.m. doubleheader against Fairleigh Dickinson.
Like Lehigh baseball on Facebook and follow on Twitter for exclusive updates throughout the season.
Patriot League Baseball Preseason Poll
1. Navy, 44 points (6 first-place votes)
2. Holy Cross, 41 (3)
3. Lehigh, 33 (3)
4. Bucknell, 30
5. Lafayette, 17
6. Army West Point, 15
Patriot League Baseball Preseason Player of the Year: Mike Garzillo, Lehigh (Sr., 2B)
Patriot League Baseball Preseason Pitcher of the Year: Luke Gillingham, Navy (Sr., SP)
Baseball Preseason All-Patriot League Team
SP: Luke Gillingham, Navy (Sr.)
SP: Brendan King, Holy Cross (Jr.)
RP: Sean Gustin, Holy Cross (Sr.)
RP: Jett Meenach, Navy (Jr.)
C: Adrian Chinnery, Navy (Jr.)
1B: Anthony Critelli, Holy Cross (Jr.)
2B: Mike Garzillo, Lehigh (Sr.)
SS: Nick Lovullo, Holy Cross (Sr.)
3B: Tyler Hudson, Lafayette (Sr.)
OF: Robert Currie, Navy (Sr.)
OF: Jacen Nalesnik, Lehigh (Jr.)
OF: Sean Trent, Navy (Sr.)
DH: Stephen Born, Navy (So.)
DH: Alex Woinski, Lafayette (Jr.)
Note: One extra player at both RP and DH due to tie in the voting.
BETHLEHEM, Pa. – The defending Patriot League champion Lehigh baseball team has been predicted to finish third in the league and senior second baseman Mike Garzillo has been tabbed as the Preseason Player of the Year, as announced in the league's preseason poll Wednesday. Garzillo and junior Jacen Nalesnik were also named to the preseason All-Patriot League team.
Garzillo, a two-time first team All Patriot League and Academic All-League member, returns to Lehigh after a standout junior season that culminated in being drafted by the New York Yankees in the 38th round of the 2015 MLB draft. The second baseman finished his junior campaign with a .359 batting average and a league-best 54 RBI and .651 slugging percentage that ranked 19th in Division I. He set a Lehigh single-season home run record with 13 long balls and finished the season with 75 hits, the second most in a single season at Lehigh. Garzillo was named the MVP of the Patriot League Tournament after leading Lehigh to its second-ever league crown before earning a spot on the NCAA Baton Rouge Regional All-Tournament team. His long list of postseason laurels included being named a Baseball America second team All-American, the NCBWA District I Player of the Year and an ABCA/Rawlings East First Team All-Region honoree.
Garzillo's preseason Patriot League Player of the Year honor adds to his growing list of preseason awards as the senior was recently named a third team Louisville Slugger Preseason All-American by Collegiate Baseball, a fourth team Preseason All-American by College Sports Madness, the DI Baseball Preseason Patriot League Player of the Year and the Baseball America Preseason Patriot League Player of the Year and number one Patriot League draft prospect for the 2016 draft. Senior pitchers Brandon Kulp and Kevin Long joined Garzillo on the top prospects list as the No. 3 and No. 4 prospects, respectively.
Nalesnik returns as the anchor of Lehigh's outfield after a strong sophomore campaign in which he ranked third on the team with a .303 batting average. The Lehighton, Pa. native ranked second on the team in RBI (35), doubles (14), sacrifice bunts (7) and at bats (201) in 2015 and recorded 17 multiple-hit games and seven multiple-RBI games.
Navy (44 points, 6 first-place votes) was predicted to finish first in the league, followed by Holy Cross in second (41 points, three first-place votes) and Lehigh in third (33 points, three first-place votes). Bucknell (30), Lafayette (17) and Army West Point (15) comprised the bottom portion of the preseason poll. The Mountain Hawks will host Holy Cross and Lafayette in Patriot League weekend series this season at Legacy Park. The voting for both the preseason poll and All-Patriot League Team was conducted by baseball head coaches and sports information directors, who were not permitted to vote for their own team or student-athletes.
After being picked to finish third in the preseason poll last year, the Mountain Hawks finished the regular season in second place with a 12-8 league record that was part of a 25-31 overall mark. Lehigh beat No. 3 Holy Cross in a three-game semifinal series before taking down top-seeded Navy on the road to earn the Mountain Hawks' second-ever Patriot League crown and trip to the NCAA Tournament. Lehigh returns two of last season's four All-Patriot League selections in Garzillo and fellow first-team honoree junior Patrick Donnelly. Long and senior Kevin Boswick are the top returnees to the rotation.
Lehigh kicks off the 2016 season on Saturday and Sunday Feb. 20-21 with a three-game set at Norfolk State. The Mountain Hawks make their debut at Legacy Park on Sunday, March 13 with a 12 p.m. doubleheader against Fairleigh Dickinson.
Like Lehigh baseball on Facebook and follow on Twitter for exclusive updates throughout the season.
Patriot League Baseball Preseason Poll
1. Navy, 44 points (6 first-place votes)
2. Holy Cross, 41 (3)
3. Lehigh, 33 (3)
4. Bucknell, 30
5. Lafayette, 17
6. Army West Point, 15
Patriot League Baseball Preseason Player of the Year: Mike Garzillo, Lehigh (Sr., 2B)
Patriot League Baseball Preseason Pitcher of the Year: Luke Gillingham, Navy (Sr., SP)
Baseball Preseason All-Patriot League Team
SP: Luke Gillingham, Navy (Sr.)
SP: Brendan King, Holy Cross (Jr.)
RP: Sean Gustin, Holy Cross (Sr.)
RP: Jett Meenach, Navy (Jr.)
C: Adrian Chinnery, Navy (Jr.)
1B: Anthony Critelli, Holy Cross (Jr.)
2B: Mike Garzillo, Lehigh (Sr.)
SS: Nick Lovullo, Holy Cross (Sr.)
3B: Tyler Hudson, Lafayette (Sr.)
OF: Robert Currie, Navy (Sr.)
OF: Jacen Nalesnik, Lehigh (Jr.)
OF: Sean Trent, Navy (Sr.)
DH: Stephen Born, Navy (So.)
DH: Alex Woinski, Lafayette (Jr.)
Note: One extra player at both RP and DH due to tie in the voting.
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