YORK, Pa. - Salisbury senior Pete Grasso and Wesley senior Trey Mears were named Co-Players of the Year to headline the 2017 All-CAC Baseball Team. Christopher Newport freshman Thomas Packert and Salisbury head coach Troy Brohawn also collected major awards.
Grasso and Mears became just the third duo to share CAC Player of the Year honors and first since 2008. Grasso, a starting pitcher and second baseman for the Sea Gulls, is the second straight and seventh overall Salisbury player to receive the Player of the Year award. Grasso also earned his third consecutive nod on the All-CAC first team.
Mears, an outfielder, becomes just the second Wolverine to be named Player of the Year, joining Rob Benedict (2012) as top award winners from Wesley. Mears landed on the All-CAC first team for the first time in his career after claiming second team honors in both 2015 and 2016, and securing Rookie of the Year honors in 2014.
Packert, a freshman pitcher for the Captains, is the first CNU player to collect Rookie of the Year accolades since CNU joined the conference in 2013-14.
Brohawn was named Coach of the Year after leading Salisbury to its second straight CAC title. It marks the first time that Brohawn earned the award.
The CAC champion Sea Gulls led all teams with a conference-best eight players on the All-CAC squad, including six first-team selections. Joining Grasso on the first team were senior starting pitcher Jeff Oster, senior catcher Tom LaBriola, sophomore first baseman Jay Perry, junior third baseman Jack Berry, and freshman outfielder Justin Meekins. LaBriola was a first-teamer and the Player of the Year in 2016, while the other honorees were named all-stars for the first time. Landing on the second team for SU were junior shortstop Scott Ardoin and senior pitcher Micah Wells.
Christopher Newport and Frostburg State each had five players recognized on the all-conference team. CNU was represented on the All-CAC first team by senior starting pitcher Mike Thomas, junior relief pitcher Joe Burris, senior outfielder A.J. Nicely, and junior designated hitter Brandon Ginch. Senior third baseman Keith Roberts was a second team selection for the second year in a row.
Frostburg State junior starting pitcher Greg Schneider continued to add to his All-CAC resume, earning first-team honors for the second straight season. Schneider was also a second-teamer and Rookie of the Year in 2015. Four Bobcats were named to the second team, including three outfielders - senior outfielder Brad Garrant, junior outfielders Kyle Burger and Matt Bougourd, and senior shortstop J.T. Tipton. Garrant was also a second-team pick in 2016.
Led by Mears, Wesley earned three spots on the all-conference squad. Junior shortstop Chris Seibert joined Mears on the first team, while junior starting pitcher Alex Marrs earned second team accolades.
Marymount placed two on the second team - junior starting pitcher Collin Bazemore and sophomore reliever/infielder Conner Hall. Bazemore picked up all-star honors for the second straight season after earning first-team recognition last spring.
Mary Washington, Penn State Harrisburg, and York each had one player receive All-CAC second team accolades. UMW senior third baseman Thomas Weaver was named to the second team for the second straight year, while Penn State Harrisburg freshman second baseman Bret Williams and York junior outfielder Seth Brosius claimed All-CAC honors for the first time.
2017 CAC Co-Players of the Year: Pete Grasso, Salisbury & Trey Mears, Wesley
2017 CAC Rookie of the Year: Thomas Packert, Christopher Newport (Chesapeake, Va. / Oscar Smith)
2017 CAC Coach of the Year: Troy Brohawn, Salisbury (first time)
2017 All-CAC Baseball First Team
NAME | YR. | POS. | TEAM | HOMETOWN/HS | PREVIOUS ALL-CAC HONORS |
Jeff Oster | Sr. | SP | Salisbury | Lake Hopatcong, N.J. / Jefferson Twp. |
|
Greg Schneider | Jr. | SP | Frostburg State | Jefferson Hills, Pa. / Thomas Jefferson | 1st in '16, 2nd & ROY in '15 |
Mike Thomas | Sr. | SP | Christopher Newport | Fairfax, Va. / W.T. Woodson |
|
Joe Burris | Jr. | RP | Christopher Newport | Charlottesville, Va. / Albemarle | |
Tom LaBriola | Sr. | C | Salisbury | Huntingtown, Md. / Huntingtown |
1st & POY in '16 |
Jay Perry | So. | 1B | Salisbury | Elkton, Md. / St. Mark's |
|
Pete Grasso | Sr. | 2B & SP | Salisbury | Wilmington, Del. / A.I. DuPont |
1st in '16, 1st in '15 |
Chris Seibert | Jr. | SS | Wesley | Pitman, N.J. / Pitman |
|
Jack Barry | Jr. | 3B | Salisbury | Laurel, Md. / Reservoir |
|
Trey Mears | Sr. | OF | Wesley | Millsboro, Del. / Sussex Central |
2nd in '16, 2nd in '15, ROY in '14 |
Justin Meekins | Fr. | OF | Salisbury | Berlin, Md. / Stephen Decatur |
|
A.J. Nicely | Sr. | OF | Christopher Newport | Chesterfield, Va. / Cosby |
|
Brandon Ginch | Jr. | DH | Christopher Newport | Fairfax, Va. / Fairfax |
2017 All-CAC Baseball Second Team
NAME | YR. | POS. | TEAM | HOMETOWN/HS | PREVIOUS ALL-CAC HONORS |
Scott Ardoin | Jr. | SS | Salisbury | Germantown, Md. / Northwest |
|
Collin Bazemore | Jr. | SP | Marymount | Mechanicsville, Va. / Atlee | 1st in '16 |
Matt Bougourd | Jr. | OF | Frostburg State | Riviera Beach, Md. / Northeast | |
Seth Brosius | Jr. | OF | York | Magnolia, Del. / Caesar Rodney |
|
Kyle Burger | Jr. | OF | Frostburg State | Fairfax, Va. / Oakton | |
Brad Garrant | Sr. | OF | Frostburg State | Rising Sun, Md. / Rising Sun | 2nd in '16 |
Conner Hall | So. | RP/INF | Marymount | Alexandria, Va. / Edison |
|
Alex Marrs | Jr. | SP | Wesley | New Castle, Del. / William Penn |
|
Keith Roberts | Sr. | 3B | Christopher Newport | Midlothian, Va. / Clover Hill |
2nd in '16 |
J.T. Tipton | Sr. | SS | Frostburg State | Abingdon, Md. / Patterson Mill | |
Thomas Weaver | Sr. | 3B | Mary Washington | Salem, Va. / North Cross | 2nd in '16 |
Micah Wells | Sr. | SP | Salisbury | Rural Hall, N.C. / Mount Tabor |
|
Bret Williams | Fr. | 2B | Penn State Harrisburg | Mount Carmel, Pa. / Mount Carmel Area |