Hoy Coach of the Year, 8 Saints Earn League Honors
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Wally JohnsonSaint Coach Pete Hoy is 2012 Liberty League Coach of the Year
St. Lawrence University baseball coach Pete Hoy has been named Liberty League Coach of the Year and eight members of the 2012 Liberty League regular season champion Saints have been named 2012 Liberty League All Stars.
Hoy led his Saints to their first-ever league regular season title and to a program record 26 wins in a 26-12 regular season. He is assisted by Chris Haynes and Tom Blumenauer.
Junior center fielder Carter Franz was one of three players on the first team who were unanimous selections in voting by the league coaches. Franz led the Saints in hitting in the regular season with a .438 average in 38 games, scored 48 runs and drove in 32. He had 63 hits which included 14 doubles, three triples and a team-leading five home runs and struck out only 14 times in 144 at bats. He was eight for nine in steals and had two outfield assists to go with 75 putouts. He was first overall in slugging percentage, hits, total bases, walks and on-base percentage, second in batting average, runs scored
Senior pitcher Jason Conde and sophomore infielders Bryan Palmero and Khifer O'Connor were the other Saint first team selections.
Conde went 5-3 in nine starts with four complete games. He had a team-leading 2.17 earned run average best among league starters overall and was second on the Saint staff in innings pitched. He struck out 34 in 50 innings, allowing 13 earned runs.
Palmero, the all league second baseman, led the league overall in runs scored with 51 and in plate appearances and at bats. He hit .373 as the Saint leadoff hitter and had 20 runs driven in. He led the Saints in steals with 14 and struck out only 10 times in 158 at bats. He formed one of the league's best double play combinations with shortstop Ethan Braddock with Palmero in on 28 double plays.
O'Connor earned all league honors at third after hitting .405 with 15 doubles and three homers. He tied for the lead overall in runs driven in with 40 and was fourth in hits with 60 and in batting average. He accounted for 74 runs with 34 scored and 40 driven in and was seven for eight in steals.
Junior right fielder Paul Piatelli and junior first baseman Jeff Kott were named to the second team. Piatelli led the league overall in doubles with 20 and hit .386 for the Saints. He scored 24 runs and drove in 38 and had a .636 slugging percentage. He also had two triples and three homers. Kott hit .350 with 30 runs scored and 39 driven in. He had seven doubles, a triple and two homers and was part of 36 double plays for the Saints.
Graduate pitcher Matt Skelly, 5-0 with a 4.50 ERA in nine appearances and freshman pitcher Andrew Schreyack, 5-2 with a 3.73 ERA in nine appearances, were honorable mention selections.
The Saints will host the 2012 Liberty League Tournament starting Thursday. Second seed RPI will play Skidmore at noon followed by the Saints vs. fourth seed Rochester at 3:30. The double elimination tournament continues through Saturday with a NCAA auto-bid at stake for the winner. The Saints will be trying to become the first regular season champion since 2005 to also win the tournament title.