December 29 - Marymount University has been named the magazine’s 2016 Collegiate Team of the Year as part of our year-end feature honoring Northern Virginia’s top teams.
Coached by Frank Leoni, the Saints went 23-17 overall and 12-6 in the Capital Athletic Conference, at one point winning nine straight games and winning two games in the conference tournament before being eliminated by perennial Division III national power Salisbury. Leoni, the program’s first coach in his third season at the helm, was named the CAC Coach of the Year, and had two sophomore pitchers earn all-conference honors in first-team selection Collin Bazemore and second-team pick Dylan Gerdts, a graduate of Battlefield High School.
“Our culture is awesome. What we’ve tried to do here is really develop the kids,” Leoni said. “And in developing them, turning it over to them. The transfer over to them, and the results, have really been liberating.”
Marymount had three victories over nationally-ranked teams and earned the No. 2 seed in the CAC Tournament, its second straight year qualifying for the league’s tournament. The Saints have increased their win total from eight in 2014 to 17 in 2015 and to 23 in 2016, and will return an experienced roster for the 2017 season.
Other Nominees:
Alexandria Aces: Coached by David DeSilva, the Aces went 23-17 during the Cal Ripken Sr. Collegiate Baseball League regular season before falling in the first round of the summer league’s playoffs to the Herndon Braves. Playing their home games at Frank E. Mann Field at Four Mile Run Park - the former home of the minor league Alexandria Dukes - the Aces were paced offensively by Liam McArthur (Seton Hall University), who hit a team-high .331 in 37 games, and Cade Sorrells (Lipscomb University), who hit .322 with seven doubles and 19 RBI in 31 games. Chesdin Harrington (University of Virginia) led the pitching staff with a 1.45 ERA in 31 innings. “They genuinely enjoyed coming to the park every day,” DeSilva said of his team, which drew players from 18 different schools this summer.
Herndon Braves: Coached by Chris Warren, the Braves went 18-22 during the Cal Ripken Sr. Collegiate Baseball League regular season, then knocked off the Alexandria Aces in the first round of the league playoffs before being eliminated by the Baltimore Redbirds in the semifinals. The Braves were paced offensively by Andy Mocahbee (Middle Georgia College), who was among the league leaders in average (.351), homers (7) and RBI (32). Evan Alderman (Georgia Southwestern State University) hit .371 with 15 steals, and local product Reid Frazier (Harford Community College), a graduate of Heritage High School, was the team’s top pitcher in going 4-2 with a 2.45 ERA and 39 strikeouts in 25.2 innings.
University of Mary Washington: Coached by Wayne Riser, the Eagles climbed to as high as No. 12 nationally in the Division III polls after winning 13 of their first 14 games. A late-season slide led to the team finishing 24-15 and missing the Capital Athletic Conference Tournament, but Riser continued to field a winner in his fourth season at the school. It was the second straight year that Mary Washington was ranked nationally, and the team placed five players on the All-CAC second team. Senior catcher James Keller hit 11 home runs and had 50 RBI, finishing as one of the most-decorated offensive players in program history, and senior pitcher Ryan Van Assche went 4-2 with a 3.61 earned run average and tossed a team-high 62.1 innings.
Purcellville Cannons: Coached by Brett Fuller, the Cannons went 19-23 during the Valley Baseball League regular season before being ousted by the Strasburg Express in the opening round of the league playoffs. In their first year playing home games at Purcellville’s Fireman’s Field after moving operations from Charles Town, W.V., the Cannons returned to the postseason after a one-year hiatus. Purcellville was paced offensively by Hayfield graduate Tyler Ratliff (Marshall), who hit .400 with four homers and 22 RBI, and Ray Hernandez (Alabama State University), who hit .313 with four homers and 21 RBI.
Photo courtesy of Marymount University athletics
