Sanchez named Player of Year

Alfred State College sophomore shortstop Jose Sanchez (Tachira, Venezuela) was named the Region III Division II Player of the Year.  Sanchez is the 6th Pioneer to be named the Player of the Year since baseball returned to ASC in 1994.

Sanchez along with Matt Stewart (Hornell), Jason Michaels (Geneva), and Gary Pitcheralle (Mechanicville) were 1st team All-Region selections while Jeff Benchich (Millbrook), Jeff Miller (N. Tonawanda), Kyle Hall (Oakfield Alabama), Ed Southworth (Cortland), and Kevin Underhill (Somers) made the 2nd team.

Sanchez led the Pioneers with a .400 batting average this season.  He was 58 for 145 on the year with 14 doubles, five triples, and two homers.  He drove home 39 runs and scored 53 runs.  He had a .494 on-base percentage and a .607 slugging percentage.  He also stole 16 bases. 

Stewart finished the season with an 8-2 record and a 3.86 ERA.  He tossed 63 innings, struck out 36, and held opponents to a .254 batting average.  He led the pitching staff in wins, starts, and complete games.

Michaels hit .379 on the year (55 for 145).  He connected on 12 doubles and two triples.  He drove in 25 runs and scored 53 from his leadoff spot in the line-up.  He was also 16 for 19 on the base paths.

Pitcheralle finished the year with a .336 batting average (48 for 143) and a team-high six homers.  He also collected 15 doubles, a triple, and 31 RBI.  He stole 22 bases and scored 49 runs.

Benchich was 5-2 with a 2.56 ERA on the mound in 52.2 innings.  He struck out 25 and held opponents to a .205 batting average.

Miller, who caught in 32 games, hit .286 on the year (20 for 70).  He collected three doubles, a triple and 12 RBI.  Behind the plate he threw out 13 runners attempting to steal.

Hall hit .317 (44 for 139) on the season.  He collected seven doubles, three triples, and 27 RBI.  He scored 33 runs and had a .422 on-base percentage.

Southworth hit .303 (36 for 119) on the year with six doubles, a triple, and 25 RBI.  He also was 4-3 on the mound with a 3.95 ERA in 41 innings of action.

Underhill was the lone Pioneer that started in all 47 games this spring.  He hit .359 (51 for 142) on the season with three doubles and 37 RBI.  He played four different positions (1st, 3rd, RF, & LF) and only committed one error.

The Pioneers finished the season as the Region III Division II runner-ups with a 34-13 record.