Ravens boast eight All-Region selections, including six on First Team

ABCA All-Region selections

RINDGE, N.H. (May 21, 2015) – The Franklin Pierce University baseball team has posted a clean sweep of the American Baseball Coaches Association East Region awards, as announced last week by the ABCA. Sophomore third baseman Jay Jabs (Schwenksville, Pa.) has been named ABCA East Region Player of the Year, while senior right-hander Brendan O'Rourke (Shrewsbury, Mass.) has been named ABCA East Region Pitcher of the Year.

Beyond the major awards, Franklin Pierce came away with eight All-East Region selections. Joining Jabs and O'Rourke on the First Team were senior catcher Matt Walsh (Plymouth, Mass.), junior first baseman Matt O'Herron (Springfield, Mass.), sophomore designated hitter Chris LaVorgna (North Haven, Conn.) and junior right-hander Miles Sheehan (Madison, Conn.). Landing on the Second Team were senior right fielder John Razzino (Cranston, R.I.) and sophomore right-hander Mike Lundin (Kingston, Mass.).

The eight All-East Region selections were the most of any team, as were the six First Team honorees.

While starting all 52 games this year for the Ravens, primarily at third base and in the second spot in the order, Jabs -- who adds to his NCBWA East Region Player of the Year and All-East Region First Team selections -- owns a .328/.414/.656 slash line over 195 at-bats (64-for-195). He hit 13 home runs, which is tied for the fifth-highest single-season total in program history. In the Northeast-10, Jabs led the league in slugging percentage, triples (6), home runs, total bases (128, which was 30 more than his closest competition) and extra-base hits (32). He also ranked third in runs scored (53) and runs batted in (50), tied for third in sacrifice flies (5), tied for fourth in hits, seventh in stolen bases (23-for-26), tied for seventh in doubles (13), tied for eighth in walks (23), tied for 10th in hit by pitch (9), 14th in on-base percentage and 25th in batting average. Nationally, through the end of regional play, he was tied for 11th in the country in triples, was tied for 30th in stolen bases and was tied for 44th in home runs.

Over 13 starts and one relief appearance, O'Rourke -- who was also the NCBWA Pitcher of the Year and an NCBWA All-East Region First Team selection -- allowed just 10 runs (seven earned) on 42 hits over 75 innings, to post a miniscule, 0.84 earned run average. Of those 42 hits, just 15 went for extra bases, including just one home run. In the Northeast-10, O'Rourke led the league in wins (11-0) and was tied for the league lead in strikeouts (93). He also ranked second in strikeouts per nine innings (11.16) and third in ERA and innings pitched. Nationally, through regional play, he ranked fifth in the country in ERA, tied for sixth in wins, seventh in hits allowed per nine innings (5.04), tied for 21st in strikeouts, 22nd in WHIP (0.96) and 26th in strikeouts per nine innings.

Walsh earned his third career All-East Region First Team selection from the ABCA, as he was also selected as both a freshman in 2011 and as a junior in 2013. He started all 52 games behind the plate and did so while posting a .366/.438/.505 line over 186 at-bats (68-for-186) out of the clean-up spot. He led the league in runs batted in (57). In addition, he ranked second in the league in hits, third in total bases (94), fourth in batting aveage, tied for fourth in hit by pitch (12), tied for fifth in doubles (14), seventh in on-base percentage, eighth in runs scored (44), tied for eighth in extra-base hits (18) and 11th in slugging percentage.

O'Herron, who played in 51 of 52 games at first base (50 starts) and hit primarily out of the five hole, added the First Team hardware to his NCBWA All-East Region Second Team nod. O'Herron hit to the tune of a .364/.430/.489 over 176 at-bats (64-for-176), during which he has struck out just 23 times, against 22 walks. He tied for the league lead in sacrifice flies (6). O'Herron also tied for third in doubles (15), tied for fourth in hits, ranked sixth in batting average, tied for eighth in total bases (86) and extra-base hits (18), ranked 10th in on-base percentage, ranked 11th in runs scored (40), tied for 11th in walks, tied for 13th in runs batted in (31) and sacrifice hits (5) and ranked 14th in slugging percentage.

LaVorgna, who transitioned to designated hitter from left field after the season's first 10 games, has also earned All-East Region First Team honors from the NCBWA. While starting in all 52 games, mostly out of the six spot in the order, he put together a .358/.407/.524 line over 187 at-bats (67-for-187) with 19 extra-base hits. He finished second in the league in total bases (98) and runs batted in (51), third in hits, tied for fourth in triples (4) and stolen bases (29-for-37), tied for fifth in runs scored (46) and extra-base hits, sixth in slugging percentage, eighth in batting average, tied for ninth in home runs (4), tied for 10th in sacrifice flies (4) and hit by pitch (9) and tied for 16th in doubles (11). Nationally, through regional play, he was tied for 10th in the country in stolen bases and ranked 23rd in stolen bases per game (0.56).

In his first season in a Franklin Pierce uniform, Sheehan has earned his first All-Region selection. He made 10 appearances on the year (eight starts) and allowed just five runs (two earned) on 34 hits over 62 innings to post a 0.29 earned run average. The ERA stands as the fourth-lowest in NCAA Division II history, as well as the lowest mark since 1973. He led the Northeast-10 in ERA and tied for fourth in wins (7-0). Nationally, through regional play, he led the country in ERA and WHIP (0.69), and also ranked sixth in hits allowed per nine innings (4.94) and 31st in walks allowed per nine innings (1.31).

Providing the Conference's best speed while hitting third, Razzino adds another All-East Region Second Team selection to go with his NCBWA honors. While starting all 52 games in right field, he posted a slash line of .305/.339/.435 over 200 at-bats (61-for-200) and stole 45 bases -- matching his own program record -- while being caught just five times (90%). He led the Northeast-10 in stolen bases. Razzino also finished second in the league in sacrifice hits (8) and runs scored (55), tied for third in sacrifice flies (5), fourth in runs batted in (41), tied for fourth in triples (4) and seventh in hits and total bases (87). Nationally, through regional play, he leads the country in both stolen bases and stolen bases per game (0.87).

Lundin, who pitched at the top of the rotation for much of the year, adds an ABCA All-East Region Second Team honor to the one he already earned from the NCBWA. Through 15 appearances (12 starts), he has posted a 2.04 earned-run average while logging a team-high 84 innings. Along the way, he threw four complete games, three of which were wins against nationally ranked opponents on the road. He led the Northeast-10 in innings pitched and tied for the lead in strikeouts (93) and complete games. Lundin also tied for second in wins (8-1), ranked sixth in strikeouts per nine innings (9.96) and ranked seventh in ERA. Nationally, through regional play, Lundin ranks 11th in the country in WHIP (0.90), tied for 21st in strikeouts, 32nd in hits allowed per nine innings (6.32), 33rd in ERA and tied for 49th in wins.

The Ravens (48-4) laid claim to their fifth Northeast-10 title this spring and played host to the NCAA Championship East Regional for the seventh time.

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).