Mike Adams and Joe Urso Headline All-SSC Baseball Team
ORLANDO, Fla. - The Sunshine State Conference champion University of Tampa baseball team claimed two of the major awards as Mike Adams was named SSC Pitcher of the Year while head coach Joe Urso was chosen as the league's Coach of the Year.
A total of 36 student-athletes have been named to the 2013 All-Sunshine State Conference Baseball Team. Lynn's Jason Matusik was selected Player of the Year. Florida Tech's Austin Allen was tabbed Freshman of the Year, joining Adams and Urso as the major award winners.
Fellow Spartans Jacob Tillotson, Michael Danner, Connor Obrochta and Matt Abramson joined Adams on the first team while Tyler Ding was a second-team performer.
Joining Matusik (1B), Adams (RP), and Austin (C) on the All-SSC First Team were: 1B Michael Revell (Saint Leo), 2B Adrian English (Barry), 3B Brandon Sedell (Nova Southeastern), SS Jacob Tillotson (Tampa), OF Michael Danner (Tampa), OF Taed Moses (Saint Leo), OF Connor Obrochta (Tampa), OF Zach Persky (Rollins), DH Kevin Reynolds (Nova Southeastern), UT Keith Curcio (Florida Southern), SP Matt Abramson (Tampa), SP Billy Atkins (Barry), SP Jason Boyer (Florida Tech), and SP Jed Vandernaald (Lynn).
Selected to the All-SSC Second Team were: 1B Scott Carcaise (Florida Tech), 2B Tyler Ding (Tampa), 3B Dillon Vitale (Saint Leo), SS Carlos Asuaje (Nova Southeastern), C Luis Arrizurieta (Barry), OF Alex Marrero (Nova Southeastern), OF Enrique Perez (Lynn), OF Sheehan Planas (Barry), OF Jose Rodriguez (Nova Southeastern), DH Cory Elasik (Lynn), UT Tyler Kellman (Barry), SP Michael Dunnigan (Saint Leo), SP Calvin Rayburn (Barry), SP Taylor Smith (Rollins), SP Scotty Ward (Florida Tech), and RP James Mannara (Florida Tech).
Saint Leo OF Bobby Twitty and SP Rick Teasley, as well as Rollins SP Anthony Figliolia, received honorable mention.
Voting for the All-SSC Baseball Team was conducted among the league's head baseball coaches.
Urso wins his eighth SSC Coach of the Year distinction after leading his Spartans to their 15th league title. UT tallied a 39-10 overall record and a 19-5 SSC mark. The squad has now won six of the last eight SSC championships. Urso's team led the league in nearly every offensive statistical category, and it also topped the conference with a 3.50 team ERA and .260 opponent batting average. Currently ranked No. 2 in the latest Collegiate Baseball Newspaper Poll, the Spartans earned the right to host the Division II South Region Championship as the top seed in the tournament.
A junior from Spring Hill, Fla., Adams tallied a perfect 6-0 record with six saves for the Spartans. He notched an SSC-best 1.40 ERA. Opponents managed a .207 average against Adams, which ranked second among league pitchers. Adams' six saves were third most in the SSC, while his six wins tied for fifth. He struck out 67 batters, which ranked sixth in the conference.
A senior from Wellington, Fla., Matusik batted .386 with 48 RBI and 34 runs scored. His average ranked second among SSC hitters, as did his .637 slugging percentage. He led the league with 109 total bases, and his 48 runs driven in were also second-best among conference players. Matusik tallied seven home runs (T4th SSC) and 16 doubles (T5th). His play was even more impressive in SSC series, as his average rose to .395 in conference contests.
In his debut season out of St. Louis, Mo., Allen batted .362 with 23 RBI and 24 runs. His production was even better in conference games, as he posted a .373 average against SSC opponents. Allen's .362 average ranked eight among league players, as did his .532 slugging percentage. He tallied four home runs and 12 doubles. He was also extremely efficient behind the plate, posting a .995 fielding percentage.
2013 ALL-SUNSHINE STATE CONFERENCE BASEBALL TEAM
FIRST TEAM
1B - Jason Matusik, Lynn (Sr)
1B - Michael Revell, Saint Leo (Sr)
2B - Adrian English, Barry (Jr)
3B - Brandon Sedell, Nova Southeastern (So)
SS - Jacob Tillotson, Tampa (So)
C - Austin Allen, Florida Tech (Fr)
OF - Michael Danner, Tampa (Jr)
OF - Taed Moses, Saint Leo (Sr)
OF - Connor Obrochta, Tampa (Jr)
OF - Zach Persky, Rollins (Jr)
DH - Kevin Reynolds, Nova Southeastern (Jr)
UT - Keith Curcio, Florida Southern (So)
SP - Matt Abramson, Tampa (Sr)
SP - Billy Atkins, Barry (Fr)
SP - Jason Boyer, Florida Tech (Sr)
SP - Jed Vandernaald, Lynn (Jr)
RP - Mike Adams, Tampa (Jr)
Player of the Year - Jason Matusik, Lynn
Pitcher of the Year - Mike Adams, Tampa
Freshman of the Year - Austin Allen, Florida Tech
Coach of the Year - Joe Urso, Tampa
SECOND TEAM
1B - Scott Carcaise, Florida Tech (Jr)
2B - Tyler Ding, Tampa (Jr)
3B - Dillon Vitale, Saint Leo (Sr)
SS - Carlos Asuaje, Nova Southeastern (Jr)
C - Luis Arrizurieta, Barry (Sr)
OF - Alex Marrero, Nova Southeastern (Sr)
OF - Enrique Perez, Lynn (Jr)
OF - Sheehan Planas, Barry (So)
OF - Jose Rodriguez, Nova Southeastern (Sr)
DH - Cory Elasik, Lynn (Sr)
UT - Tyler Kellman, Barry (Jr)
SP - Michael Dunnigan, Saint Leo (Fr)
SP - Calvin Rayburn, Barry (Jr)
SP - Taylor Smith, Rollins (Sr)
SP - Scotty Ward, Florida Tech (So)
RP - James Mannara, Florida Tech (Sr)
HONORABLE MENTION
OF - Bobby Twitty, Saint Leo (Jr)
SP - Anthony Figliolia, Rollins (Sr)
SP - Rick Teasley, Saint Leo (Sr)