1/14/2010
La Plume, PA (1-14-10) - Five returnees of the Keystone College baseball program have been named to the 2010 NCAA Division III "Players to Watch List" by Collegiate Baseball Newspaper.
Pitchers Sean Murphy and Sean Brewer, second baseman Esteban Meletiche, outfielder Ray Jackson and third baseman Eric Groff were all named to the pre-season list. Earlier this month Collegiate Baseball Newspaper selected Keystone 11th in its Division III pre-season poll.
Murphy, a senior from Philadelphia, PA, compiled a record of 9-0 last season with an ERA of 2.08 in 60.2 innings pitched. He was second on the team with 68 strikeouts, while allowing 46 hits and 14 earned runs. Murphy held opponents to a .208 batting average. He was also a Second Team All-CSAC selection.
Brewer, a senior from Montrose, PA, compiled a record of 8-3 last season with an ERA of 3.00 in 81.0 innings pitched. He led the team in strikeouts with 88, while allowing 65 hits and 27 earned runs. Brewer held opponents to a .217 batting average. He was also named as a First Team All-CSAC selection, Third Team ABCA-Rawlings All Mid-Atlantic Team selection and a Gold Glove ABCA-Rawlings All Mid-Atlantic Team selection.
Meletiche, a sophomore from Philadelphia, PA, batted .429 (73-170) in 44 games. His 73 hits were second best on the team. He scored 59 runs, also good for second on the team, and drove in 41. He collected nine doubles, six home runs and three triples. Meletiche was also a perfect 16-16 in stolen bases. He was the CSAC Rookie of the Year and a First Team All-Conference selection. Meletiche was also named as the Most Valuable Player of the CSAC Baseball Championships.
Jackson, a senior from Lewes, DE, batted .347 (42-121) in 40 games. He scored 41 runs and drove in 29, while leading the team in stolen bases with 29 (29-31). Jackson, who was also a Second Team All-CSAC selection, recorded two assists and just two errors while patrolling center-field.
Groff, a senior from Lebanon, PA, led the team in batting with a .445 average (81-182). He also led the team in hits, runs (63), RBI (58), home runs (13), doubles (15), triples (16), slugging percentage (.808) and on-base percentage (.488). He recorded a hit in 43 of 46 games played and reached base safely in 44 of 46 games played. Groff was the CSAC Player of the Year last season, as well as being named to the NCAA Mid-Atlantic Regional All Tournament Team, First Team ABCA-Rawlings All Mid-Atlantic Team and the D3baseball.com Second Team All America.
The "Players to Watch" list was chosen by Division III baseball coaches across the country, and spotlights a select group of student-athletes at each position. It appears in the latest issue of Collegiate Baseball, a publication that covers all levels of college baseball.
Keystone, which turned in a record of 40-6 last season and advanced to the title game of the NCAA Mid-Atlantic Regional, will open their 2010 slate on March 6 against Misericordia University in Winter Haven, FL.