Photo by: Lisa Stamford
Three Mountain Hawks earn Academic All-Patriot League honors for fifth straight season
5/14/2021 2:40:00 PM | Baseball
BETHLEHEM, Pa. – Continuing to rack up accolades before the start of the Patriot League Tournament this weekend, three members of the Lehigh baseball program were named Academic All-Patriot League selections for the 2021 season. Senior Eric Cichocki, junior Mason Black and sophomore Adam Retzbach each earned top academic honors this year.
Only 12 players in the Patriot League are voted onto the team, as athletes must have at least a 3.20 cumulative GPA and be a starter or key player in his sport to be eligible.
This is the fifth season in a row in which three Mountain Hawks were named Academic All-Patriot League selections, leading the way amongst all league teams.
A mechanical Engineering and IBE finance major, Cichocki is named Academic All-Patriot League for the first time. The Zionsville, Pa. native has accumulated a 3.94 GPA during his career at Lehigh. In 2021, Cichocki is slashing .323/.451/.430 with nine doubles, two homers, 15 walks and 32 runs scored. A staple in the leadoff spot all season long, he stole nine bases and was hit by a pitch 10 times. In the field, Cichocki made spectacular catch after spectacular catch, recording 63 putouts with two assists for a .985 fielding percentage. He was subsequently named one of Lehigh's five First Team All-Patriot League selections.
Black ended his spectacular junior season with Patriot League Pitcher of the Year and First Team All-Patriot League honors after compiling a 7-2 record with a 2.51 ERA and 90 strikeouts, leading the league in all three categories heading into the postseason. He has six games of 10 strikeouts or more and has four complete games with two straight shutouts to close out the season. Overall, he has held hitters to a .213 batting average and is 6-1 with a 2.55 ERA and 68 strikeouts in league contests. In the classroom, Black studies Bioengineering and has earned a cumulative 3.80 GPA.
Retzbach closed the regular season as a member of All-Patriot League second team, coming on strong late in the year as a consistent power threat in the Mountain Hawks' lineup. He hit .246 with nine doubles, two triples and finished tied for the team lead in home runs with five. He drove in 25 runs and scored 17 times. Retzbach slugged .462 with a .340 on-base percentage. Academically, Retzbach belongs to the College of Arts and Sciences and has earned a 3.92 cumulative GPA.
The Mountain Hawks host Navy for the Patriot League semifinals this weekend at J. David Walker Field, a best of three series to decide who advances to the Patriot League Championship series. Saturday's doubleheader begins at noon and will be streamed live on ESPN+. Sunday's game three will be played if necessary.
Like Lehigh Baseball on Facebook, follow on Twitter and Instagram for continued updates on the Mountain Hawks.
2021 Patriot League Baseball Scholar-Athlete of the Year
Anthony Giachin, Army West Point, Sr., 3B
2021 Academic All-Patriot League Baseball Team
Anthony Giachin, Army West Point, Sr., 3B
Tim Simoes, Army West Point, Sr., 2B
Peter Marren, Bucknell, Sr., 3B
Liam Dvorak, Holy Cross, Sr., RHP
Garret Keough, Holy Cross, Sr., RHP
Justin Johnson, Lafayette, Jr., SS
Dylan Minghini, Lafayette, Jr., C
Mason Black, Lehigh, Jr., RHP
Eric Cichocki, Lehigh, Sr., OF
Adam Retzbach, Lehigh, So., C
Jared Leins, Navy, Sr., RHP
Zach Stevens, Navy, Jr., 1B
Only 12 players in the Patriot League are voted onto the team, as athletes must have at least a 3.20 cumulative GPA and be a starter or key player in his sport to be eligible.
This is the fifth season in a row in which three Mountain Hawks were named Academic All-Patriot League selections, leading the way amongst all league teams.
A mechanical Engineering and IBE finance major, Cichocki is named Academic All-Patriot League for the first time. The Zionsville, Pa. native has accumulated a 3.94 GPA during his career at Lehigh. In 2021, Cichocki is slashing .323/.451/.430 with nine doubles, two homers, 15 walks and 32 runs scored. A staple in the leadoff spot all season long, he stole nine bases and was hit by a pitch 10 times. In the field, Cichocki made spectacular catch after spectacular catch, recording 63 putouts with two assists for a .985 fielding percentage. He was subsequently named one of Lehigh's five First Team All-Patriot League selections.
Black ended his spectacular junior season with Patriot League Pitcher of the Year and First Team All-Patriot League honors after compiling a 7-2 record with a 2.51 ERA and 90 strikeouts, leading the league in all three categories heading into the postseason. He has six games of 10 strikeouts or more and has four complete games with two straight shutouts to close out the season. Overall, he has held hitters to a .213 batting average and is 6-1 with a 2.55 ERA and 68 strikeouts in league contests. In the classroom, Black studies Bioengineering and has earned a cumulative 3.80 GPA.
Retzbach closed the regular season as a member of All-Patriot League second team, coming on strong late in the year as a consistent power threat in the Mountain Hawks' lineup. He hit .246 with nine doubles, two triples and finished tied for the team lead in home runs with five. He drove in 25 runs and scored 17 times. Retzbach slugged .462 with a .340 on-base percentage. Academically, Retzbach belongs to the College of Arts and Sciences and has earned a 3.92 cumulative GPA.
The Mountain Hawks host Navy for the Patriot League semifinals this weekend at J. David Walker Field, a best of three series to decide who advances to the Patriot League Championship series. Saturday's doubleheader begins at noon and will be streamed live on ESPN+. Sunday's game three will be played if necessary.
Like Lehigh Baseball on Facebook, follow on Twitter and Instagram for continued updates on the Mountain Hawks.
2021 Patriot League Baseball Scholar-Athlete of the Year
Anthony Giachin, Army West Point, Sr., 3B
2021 Academic All-Patriot League Baseball Team
Anthony Giachin, Army West Point, Sr., 3B
Tim Simoes, Army West Point, Sr., 2B
Peter Marren, Bucknell, Sr., 3B
Liam Dvorak, Holy Cross, Sr., RHP
Garret Keough, Holy Cross, Sr., RHP
Justin Johnson, Lafayette, Jr., SS
Dylan Minghini, Lafayette, Jr., C
Mason Black, Lehigh, Jr., RHP
Eric Cichocki, Lehigh, Sr., OF
Adam Retzbach, Lehigh, So., C
Jared Leins, Navy, Sr., RHP
Zach Stevens, Navy, Jr., 1B
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