AMCC BASEBALL: CELEBRATING 20 YEARS
The AMCC is embarking on its 20th anniversary during the 2016-17 academic year. Since 1997 there have been many outstanding teams and individual student-athletes who have risen to the top of their sports. We are honored to recognize and highlight some of those accomplishments throughout this anniversary year.
Penn State Behrend and former AMCC member Frostburg State University each have five championship titles under their belts, with La Roche College picking up four of the past five. The Redhawks also have the distinction of being the only AMCC school to advance to the NCAA Division III World Series, and as a program advanced farther in the NCAA post-season than any other team in any sport in conference history.
Penn State Behrend's Josh Fyffe is the most recent two-time AMCC Player of the Year, earning the honor in 2009 and 2010. In 2009, Fyffe hit .407 with 66 hits and collected 55 RBI, helping to lead the Behrend Lions to the AMCC championship for the second year in a row. He followed that up in 2010, hitting .491 with 58 RBI and 81 hits, along with a third straight AMCC title for the Lions.
Behrend's David Koerbel was named Pitcher of the Year in 2008 and 2009, the only two-time baseball pitcher of the year in conference history. Additionally, Koerbel was also named Player of the Year in 2008. In 2008, the junior led the Lions to the AMCC title and an automatic bid to the NCAA Division III Tournament. He led the conference with eight wins, including two in the conference playoffs. Koerbel boasted a 2.64 ERA in 64.2 IP, and held opposing hitters to a .264 BA. He tied for first in strikeouts with 69. In 2009, Koerbel had a league-best 83 strikeouts and nine wins and was a repeat selection as Pitcher of the Year. He helped lead the Behrend Lions to the AMCC championship for the second year in a row.
Penn State Altoona's Tony Petulla earned Player of the Year honors in 2005 and 2006. Petulla batted .410 during the 2005 season, and led the AMCC in slugging percentage (.713), hits (50), RBI (48), home runs (8) and total bases (87). In 2006, he hit .406 on the season with a league-leading 43 RBI.
Behrend's Jake Boyle was named Player of the Year in 2001 and 2002. Boyle capped a stellar career in 2002 by leading the team to a new school record of 35 wins and an ECAC Championship. He set career-highs with 62 hits, 59 runs, 13 doubles, and 25 stolen bases. At the time of his graduation, Boyle was the career leader in batting average (.407), hits (224), triples (17), at-bats (551), and games played (160). He still owns the top spot for home runs (35), runs batted in (188), and runs scored (198).
We are proud to honor the complete line-up of AMCC Baseball Players and Pitchers of the Year from 1997-2016:
BASEBALL (PLAYER)
2016 – Ben Herstine, LRC - Herstine led the AMCC in hits (28) and ranked second in total bases (56) and triples (5). He also finished the regular season third in RBI (23), batting average (.444) and slugging percentage (.889), while he was fourth in home runs (5), and sixth in runs scored (22). Herstine was named AMCC Player of the Week on April 18 after he hit for the cycle.
2015 – Connor Bowie, MAC - Bowie finished the season ranked first in the AMCC with eight homeruns and 21 stolen bases. He also finished second with five triples and a .645 slugging percentage and sixth with 50 hits and 31 RBI. In addition to being named an AMCC Player of the Week, Bowie was also named to the d3baseball.com national team of the week for April 28th.
2014 – Colin Feikles, LRC - Feikles had a standout junior campaign, recording a .431 batting average with 41 RBI, 49 hits and 40 runs scored. He boasted a .921 fielding percentage, helping to turn 10 double plays.
2013 – Aaron Kovach, MAC - Kovach was voted Player of the Year after leading the league in batting average (.424), slugging percentage (.640), RBI (42) and doubles (15).
2012 – Derek Smith, UPB -
2011 – Michael Pascarella, UPB - The freshman had a .464 batting average, a .791 slugging percentage, .558 on base percentage, while scoring 45 runs on 51 hits, including a league-best six home runs. Pascarella was both Newcomer and Player of the Year in 2011.
2010 – Josh Fyffe, BEH - Fyffe hit .491 with 58 RBI and 81 hits to lead his team to their third straight AMCC title and earn Player of the Year honors for the second year in a row.
2009 – Josh Fyffe, BEH - Fyffe hit .407 with 66 hits and collected 55 RBI. He helped lead the Behrend Lions to the AMCC championship for the second year in a row.
2008 – David Koerbel, BEH - Koerbel was the AMCC Player and Pitcher of the Year for 2008. The junior led the Behrend Lions to the AMCC title and an automatic bid to the NCAA Division III Tournament. A three-time AMCC Pitcher of the Week, he led the conference with eight wins, including two in the conference playoffs. Koerbel boasted a 2.64 ERA in 64.2 IP, and held opposing hitters to a .264 BA. He tied for first in strikeouts with 69.
2007 – Matt Stanziano, UPG - Stanziano led the AMCC in batting average (.452) and stolen bases (33) and was ranked second in slugging percentage (.731) and on-base percentage (.512).
2006 – Tony Petulla, PSA (CO-POTY) - Petulla hit .406 on the season with a league-leading 43 RBI.
2006 - Billy Hollister, FSU (CO-POTY) – The pitcher was key to the Bobcats' run to the AMCC championship, compiling a 9-1 record and 1.96 ERA.
2005 – Tony Petulla, PSA (CO-POTY) - Petulla batted .410 for season, and led the AMCC in slugging percentage (.713). He also ranked first in hits (50), RBI (48), home runs (8) and total bases (87).
2005 - Billy Hollister, FSU (CO-POTY) - Hollister was instrumental in leading the Bobcats to a 28-11 regular season record and first place in the conference. He won seven of 11 games started, and leads the league with a 1.72 ERA, averaging one strikeout per inning.
2004 – Scott Feller, FSU -
2003 – Adam Best, BEH Best set a school single-season record in hitting (.493) and hits (71). He was 27 of 30 for stolen bases, ranking him 30th in Division III. In 135 at bats, Best scored 57 runs and tallied 23 RBIs, leading Behrend to its first-ever AMCC Championship and repeat as ECAC Champions. Best was named National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association NCAA Division III Mid-Atlantic Region Player of the Year
2002 – Jake Boyle, BEH - Boyle led the team to a new school record of 35 wins and an ECAC Championship. He set career-highs with 62 hits, 59 runs, 13 doubles, and 25 stolen bases. For the second straight year, he earned AMCC Player of the Year and First-Team All-AMCC honors. At the time of his graduation, Boyle was the career leader in batting average (.407), hits (224), triples (17), at-bats (551), and games played (160). He still owns the top spot for home runs (35), runs batted in (188), and runs scored (198).
2001 – Eric Haynoski, UPB (CO-POTY)
2001 – Jake Boyle, BEH (CO-POTY) - He led the team with 50 hits, 48 runs, 43 RBI, eight home runs, and a .400 batting average. He was named AMCC Player of the Year, First-Team All-AMCC, and team MVP.
2000 – Pat Sweeney, FSU
1999 – Bryan Gamble, FSU
1998 – Pat Sweeney, FSU
BASEBALL (PITCHER)
2016 – Tanner Wilt, LRC - Wilt was twice named to D3Baseball's Team of the Week and the AMCC Pitcher of the Week. He was the AMCC Preseason Pitcher of the Year and led the AMCC in starts (5), shutouts (2), strikeouts (57), strikeouts per nine innings (11.97), and ERA (.26).
2015 – Tyler Ferguson, LRC - Ferguson led the AMCC in conference games with a 0.32 ERA, while also ranking third in strikeouts (33) and fourth in strikeouts per game (10.61). He led the AMCC with four conference wins and seven overall, and gave up just one earned run against AMCC opponents.
2014 – Derrick Capiak, MAC - Capiak had a 7-4 record in 12 appearances, striking out 84 for a 10.85 Ks/9 average to lead the Mounties to a #3 seed in the AMCC tournament.
2013 – Ryan Jacobs, BEH - Jacobs had a historical season for the Lions (30-10). The senior right-hander led the Behrend pitching staff with an 8-1 record and a 1.37 ERA. Jacobs struck out 49 batters in 59 innings of work with an opponent's batting average of just .203. He also broke the school record for career wins (28) and career innings pitched (257.1). On April 14 against Mount Aloysius, Jacobs became the first player in program history to throw a perfect game. In addition to his Player of the Year award, Jacobs was named to the First-Team All-Conference for the second straight year
2012 – Nick Sherman, HIL - Went 5-6 (10 starts) with six complete games. Tossed 63.1 innings with 57 strike outs.
2011 – Trevor Conner, PSA - Conner had a 7-2 record in 9 appearances, including a win and a save in the conference tournament to help lead the Lions to the AMCC title.
2010 – Britton Quayle, FSU - Finished the season with an 8-1 record and a 2.56 ERA
2009 – David Koerbel, BEH - Koerbel had a league-best 83 strikeouts and 9 wins and is a repeat selection as Pitcher of the Year. He helped lead the Behrend Lions to the AMCC championship for the second year in a row.
2008 – David Koerbel, BEH - Koerbel was the AMCC Player and Pitcher of the Year for 2008. The junior led the Behrend Lions to the AMCC title and an automatic bid to the NCAA Division III Tournament. A three-time AMCC Pitcher of the Week, he led the conference with 8 wins, including 2 in the conference playoffs. Koerbel boasted a 2.64 ERA in 64.2 IP, and held opposing hitters to a .264 BA. He tied for first in strikeouts with 69.