FIRST TEAM
Pitchers
Fran Oschell, Sr, Malvern Prep
Oschel was the ace of the Friars staff. He was 7-1 and in 42 innings allowed just 28 hits, seven earned runs and had an earned run average of 1.15. Oschell will attend Duke University in the fall.
Eddie Smink, Jr, West Chester Henderson
Smink was the best pitcher in the Ches-Mont League this season. The Warriors junior was 7-0 with a 1.40 ERA and had 84 strikeouts and allowed just 25 hits. Smirks Astony Brook University commit.
Catcher
RJ Rickabaugh, Jr, Coatesville
The best defensive catcher in the Ches-Mont League, the Red Raiders junior hit .364 with 20 hits, 15 RBI, nine doubles and two home runs. Rickabaugh is a Notre Dame University commit.
Infielders
Jimmy Kirk, Sr, Malvern Prep
Kirk was the number three hitter in the potent Malvern prep attack. Kirk hit .460 with 29 hits, eight doubles five home runs and 21 RBI. Kirk will attend Millersville University in the fall.
Cam Conley, Sr, Malvern Prep
The best defensive shortstop in the inter-Academic League, Conley hit .405 with 32 hits, seven doubles and three home runs. Conley will attend Pepperdine University in the fall.
Dean O’Neill, Jr, West Chester Henderson
The Warriors junior hit a robust .381, smacked five home runs with 25 RBI and scored 21 runs for the Ches-Mont National Division champions.
Joey Morton, Sr, Oxford
Morton had a big year for the Hornets, hitting .413 with two doubles, two triples and five home runs. Morton will attend Old Dominion University in the fall.
Outfielders
Jack Lincoln, Sr, Avon Grove
The Red Devils leader hit .438 with eight doubles, one home run and 11RBI. Lincoln also scored 11 runs despite missing the last part of the season due to an arm injury.
Jack Regenye, Sr, Unionville
The biggest base hitting threat in the Ches-Mont League, the Longhorns center fielder hit .478 with 28 hits and he also swiped 29 stolen bases.
Cooper Young, Jr, Downingtown West
Young provided big time power for the Whippets. young smacked five home runs, knocked in 20 runs and hit .422 with 27 hits.
Designated Hitter
Shane McCullen, Jr, Conestoga
McCullen was the big bat for the Pioneers hitting .423 with 22 hits, 13 runs batted in and was also 5-1 as a pitcher.
Second Team
Pitcher: Jackson Snyder, Jr, West Chester Henderson
Pitcher: Keenan Metrick, Sr, Great Valley.
Catcher: Connor Reilly, Sr, Oxford.
Infielder: Kevin Wheeler, Jr, West Chester Henderson.
Infielder: Drew Lamoinca, Sr, Conestoga.
Infielder: Matt Stout, Jr, Coatesville.
Infielder: Sean Matson, Sr, Unionville.
Outfielder: Mason Griffin, Sr, West Chester East
Outfielder: JJ O’Neill, Jr, Downingtown East.
Outfielder: Greyson Kovatch, Soph, Downingtown West.
Designated Hitter: Nick Patterson, Sr, Kennett.
Honorable Mention
Jason Stretch, Robbie Dorn, Avon Grove; Logan Kapcynski, Bishop Shanahan; Will Dean, Alex Kuehn, Coatesville; Paul Grycewicz, Jack Eshleman, Devon Prep; Alex Lehman, Downingtown East; Jack Benis, Downingtown West; Matt Curtis, Great Valley; Thomas Edmonds, Kennett; Ryan Dewees, Oxford; Josh Smith, Malvern Prep;Ryan Cogill, Matt Dowger, West Chester East; Zach Klein, West Chester Henderson; Gehrig Fleming, Peter Reinheimer, West Chester Rustin; Ewen Donald, Jake Diaz, Westtown
COACH OF THE YEAR
Fred Hilliard, Malvern Prep
When one thinks of a head coach the best qualities can be honesty, perseverance and attention to detail. This season the Malvern Prep Friars baseball team compiled a gaudy 26-4 record against arguably the toughest schedule in Pennsylvania. And the Friars also captured the Inter-Academic League title and were generally regarded as one of the top two or three teams in the state. It is for these accomplishments that Fred Hilliard is The Daily Local News Coach of the Year.
Hilliard’s teams always do the little things that add up to wins. from bunting the baseball properly to running the bases, to moving a runner with an opposite field fly ball or grounder, Malvern prep was always right on point and that comes from the top. Hilliard said he was very lucky to have this dedicated and focused group too 15 seniors this season.
“When you have special players the reason they are special is because they do not want to be treated as special,” Hilliard said after the friars captured the inter-Academic championship. “We had 15 seniors who set a great example every day at practice fo the younger guys. I am blessed to be around a group like this.”
Since Hilliard has taken over the Malvern Prep program, the Friars are constantly one f the best teams in the state and routinely are ranked among the best baseball teams in the country. It is by no accident that all this has occurred under the stewardship of Fred Hilliard.
