HARRISONBURG, Va. – Two Patriots took home All-CAA baseball honors for the 2013 season, as selected by the head coaches and announced at the annual baseball banquet preceding the conference tournament on Tuesday evening.
Redshirt junior Anthony Montefusco collected first team honors at utility, while junior Blaise Fernandez was tabbed to the third team at third base.
Montefusco made the All-CAA First Team at utility after splitting his season as a weekend starter on the mound and designated hitter. This season he made 13 appearances with 12 starts on the mound, posting a 5-5 record and a team-best 4.14 ERA over 78.1 innings. The native of Medford, N.J. finished the season leading the team with 80 strikeouts, ranking fourth in the Mason single-season record books while increasing his career total to 167, the 10th-best career total in Mason history. Against Old Dominion on May 4, Montefusco threw his first career complete game, scattering five hits over nine scoreless innings with 10 strikeouts in addition to driving in the only run of the game with an RBI single in the seventh inning. For his efforts in that game he was tabbed the CAA Pitcher of the Week.
At the plate, Montefusco started 40 of Mason's 53 contests and hit .238 with 36 hits, 11 doubles, a triple, home run and 17 RBI's. It is the second All-CAA honor for Montefusco after being named the CAA Rookie of the Year, second team and all-rookie his freshman season in 2010.
Fernandez collected his first All-CAA accolades after a strong junior campaign. He was the only Patriot to start all 53 games this season, playing primarily at third base. Fernandez led the team with 69 hits and 18 doubles while also totaling two triples, two home runs, 26 RBI's 27 runs scored and a .330 batting average. Fernandez finished the season with 19 multiple-hit games and had a 44 game safely reached base streak, stretching from opening day to April 27 at William and Mary.
Delaware junior first baseman Jimmy Yezzo was selected as the 2013 CAA baseball Player of the Year and UNCW junior left-hander Mat Batts was chosen as the 2013 CAA Pitcher of the Year.
Other top honors went to Towson senior catcher Andrew Parker as the CAA Defensive Player of the Year and Georgia State freshman outfielder Josh Merrigan as the CAA Rookie of the Year. William & Mary's Jamie Pinzino and UNCW's Mark Scalf were named the CAA Co-Coaches of the Year.
The Patriots wrapped up their 2013 season with an overall record of 18-35.
