Ravens boast seven All-Region selections, including four on First Team

Full NCBWA All-East Region selections

RINDGE, N.H. (May 12, 2015) – Two days before opening the NCAA Championship East Regional as the top seed and host, the No. 1/3 nationally ranked Franklin Pierce University baseball team posted a clean sweep of the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association East Region awards, as announced Tuesday by the NCBWA. Sophomore third baseman Jay Jabs (Schwenksville, Pa.) has been named NCBWA East Region Player of the Year, senior right-hander Brendan O'Rourke (Shrewsbury, Mass.) has been named NCBWA East Region Pitcher of the Year, and head coach Jayson King has been named NCBWA East Region Coach of the Year.

Beyond the major awards, Franklin Pierce came away with seven All-East Region selections, as well as one All-East Region Honorable Mention. Joining Jabs and O'Rourke on the First Team were senior catcher Matt Walsh (Plymouth, Mass.) and sophomore designated hitter Chris LaVorgna (North Haven, Conn.). Landing on the Second Team were senior right fielder John Razzino (Cranston, R.I.), junior first baseman Matt O'Herron (Springfield, Mass.) and sophomore right-hander Mike Lundin (Kingston, Mass.). Senior right-hander Paul Fahey (Dorchester, Mass.) earned an All-East Region Honorable Mention.

The seven All-East Region selections and the four First Team nods both match Wilmington (Del.) for the highest total in the region, while the eight honorees overall is the region's biggest haul.

While starting all 48 games through the end of the Northeast-10 Conference Championship, primarily at third base and in the second spot in the order, Jabs -- who earns his first All-Region selection -- owns a .341/.425/.687 slash line over 179 at-bats (61-for-179). He has hit 13 home runs, which is tied for the fifth-highest single-season total in program history. In the Northeast-10, through the Championship, Jabs led the league in slugging percentage, home runs, total bases (123, which was 31 more than his closest competition) and extra-base hits (31) and tied for the league lead in triples (5). He also ranked second in runs scored (53) and runs batted in (50), tied for third in sacrifice flies (5) and hits, tied for sixth in stolen bases (23), tied for seventh in doubles (13), tied for eighth in walks (22), tied for 11th in hit by pitch (8), 13th in on-base percentage and 17th in batting. Nationally, through the end of conference championships, he was tied for 23rd in the country in triples, was tied for 25th in stolen bases (23), ranked 43rd in home runs per game (0.29) and was tied for 43rd in home runs.

Over 12 starts and one relief appearance, O'Rourke -- who earns his first All-Region selection as well -- has allowed just eight runs (six earned) on 39 hits over 70 innings, to post a miniscule, 0.77 earned run average. Of those 39 hits, just 14 have gone for extra bases, including just one home run. In the Northeast-10, through the Championship, O'Rourke led the league in wins (10-0) and was tied for the league lead in strikeouts (87). He also ranked second in ERA and strikeouts per nine innings (11.19) and was tied for second in innings pitched. Nationally, through conference championships, he ranked fourth in the country in ERA, sixth in hits allowed per nine innings (5.01), tied for eighth in wins, 16th in WHIP (0.93), 27th in strikeouts per nine innings and tied for 29th in strikeouts.

King's 2015 Franklin Pierce squad has notched the program's record-tying fifth Northeast-10 Championship last weekend and, prior to that, earned the team's fourth straight Northeast Division title (its eighth Northeast-10 regular season title overall). The Ravens have posted the third 45-win season in school history (2007, 2006), the sixth 40-win campaign in program history (2011, 2010, 2008, 2007, 2006) and the 10th straight season of 35 or more victories.

Walsh earned his third career All-East Region First Team selection from the NCBWA, as he was also selected as both a freshman in 2011 and as a junior in 2013. He has started all 48 games behind the plate and has done so while posting a .366/.436/.517 line over 172 at-bats (63-for-172) out of the clean-up spot. After the Northeast-10 Championship, he currently leads the league in runs batted in (53). In addition, he ranks second in the league in hits, third in total bases (89), tied for fifth in doubles (14) and hit by pitch (11), sixth in batting average, eighth in runs scored (44) and on-base percentage, tied for eighth in extra-base hits (18) and 10th in slugging percentage.

LaVorgna, who transitioned to designated hitter from left field after the season's first 10 games, earns the first All-East Region selection of his career. While starting in all 48 games, mostly out of the six spot in the order, he has put together a .353/.396/.532 line over 173 at-bats (61-for-173) with 19 extra-base hits. He currently ranks second in the league in total bases (92); third in runs batted in (49); tied for third in hits; tied for fourth in triples (4), runs scored (46), extra-base hits and stolen bases (28); sixth in slugging percentage; tied for eighth in home runs (4); tied for 10th in sacrifice flies (4); tied for 11th in hit by pitch (8); 12th in batting average; and tied for 16th in doubles (11). Nationally, through the conference championships, he was tied for 11th in the country in stolen bases and ranked 19th in stolen bases per game (0.58).

Providing the Conference's best speed while hitting third, Razzino has earned his first career All-East Region selection. While starting all 48 games in right field, he has posted a slash line of .304/.338/.429 over 184 at-bats (56-for-184) and stolen 45 bases -- matching his own program record -- while being caught just three times (93.8%). He currently leads the Northeast-10 in stolen bases. Razzino also ranks tied for second in the league in sacrifice hits (8), third in runs scored (52), tied for third in sacrifice flies (5), fourth in runs batted in (40), tied for fourth in triples (4), tied for eighth in hits and tied for 10th in total bases (79). Nationally, heading into the NCAA Championship, he leads the country in both stolen bases and stolen bases per game (0.94).

O'Herron, who has played in 47 of 48 games at first base (46 starts) and hit primarily out of the five hole, earned the first All-East Region selection of his career as well. O'Herron has hit to the tune of a .384/.453/.522 over 159 at-bats (61-for-159), during which he has struck out just 17 times, against 22 walks. He is tied for the league lead in sacrifice flies (6). O'Herron also currently ranks second in the Northeast-10 in batting average; tied for second in sacrifice flies (5); tied for third in hits and doubles (15); seventh in on-base percentage, total bases (83) and slugging percentage; tied for eighth in extra-base hits (18) and walks; 11th in runs scored (39); tied for 11th in runs batted in (31); and tied for 13th in sacrifice hits (5).

Lundin, who has pitched at the top of the rotation for much of the year, earns his first All-East Region selection in his first season as a Raven. Through 13 appearances (11 starts), he has posted a 1.84 earned-run average while logging a team-high 78.1 innings. Along the way, he has thrown four complete games, three of which were wins against nationally ranked opponents on the road. He currently leads the Northeast-10 in innings pitched and is tied for the lead in strikeouts (87) and complete games. Lundin also ranks second in wins (8-0) and ranks sixth in ERA and strikeouts per nine innings (10.00). Nationally, heading into the East Regional, Lundin ranks fifth in the country in WHIP (0.83), 23rd in hits allowed per nine innings (5.86), 26th in ERA, tied for 29th in strikeouts and tied for 42nd in wins.

Often the first man out of the bullpen and often called on to throw multiple innings of high-leverage relief, Fahey earns his first career All-East Region selection in his senior season. He has made 17 appearances out of the bullpen and logged 42.1innings while striking out 49 (10.42 per nine innings) and posting a 2.34 earned run average. Despite being exclusively a reliever, Fahey is tied for 19th in the Northeast-10 in strikeouts (49). He is the highest-ranked pitcher in that department with fewer than four starts, as well as one of only three hurlers to rank among the league's top 50 strikeout men without making any starts. Fahey is one of only two men with zero starts to crack the top 50 in innings pitched, where he ranked tied for 46th. Of his 17 appearances on the year, 14 have been longer than one inning, while 12 have encompassed at least two full innings.

The Ravens (46-2) laid claim to their fifth Northeast-10 title last weekend and will open the NCAA Championship East Regional at home against sixth-seeded St. Thomas Aquinas on Thursday. First pitch is set for 11 a.m. at Dr. Arthur and Martha Pappas Field in Rindge.

For more information on Franklin Pierce Athletics, please visit the official website of Franklin Pierce Athletics (http://athletics.franklinpierce.edu). Also be sure to follow the Ravens through the Department of Athletics' official Facebook page (http://www.facebook.com/FranklinPierceRavens), its YouTube channel (http://www.youtube.com/franklinpiercesports) and its Twitter feed (http://twitter.com/FPUathletics). Fans wishing to purchase Franklin Pierce baseball apparel can do so at the Department of Athletics' online store (http://athletics.franklinpierce.edu/store).