Men's Baseball

OFFICIAL HOME OF UTICA COLLEGE ATHLETICS

SIX BASEBALL PLAYERS EARN ALL-CONFERENCE STATUS

Men's Baseball

Release Date

05/18/2009
[Go to UC Sports News]

#26 Russ Haentges

Empire 8 All-Conference Team

UTICA, NY (May 18, 2009) – Six student-athletes from the Utica College baseball team were named to the 2009 Empire 8 All-Conference Team released Tuesday by the conference office. Sophomore classmates Jon Meyer (Pittsford, NY) and Justin Engelhardt (Pottstown, PA), along with senior Kelvin Cabrera (Hoboken, NJ) earned second team status, while junior Russ Haentges (Cowlesville, NY) and sophomores Chris Hine (Brick, NJ) and Adam Bittel (New Hartford, CT) were named to the honorable mention list.

Meyer, the Pioneers everyday catcher, batted a team-best .346 en route to earning second team status. He led the team with 22 RBIs, 53 total bases, and he posted a .510 slugging percentage. His 36 hits was also a team best. He scored 18 runs, hit seven doubles, three triples and two home runs. He threw out 11 potential base stealers behind the dish and registered a .943 fielding percentage. Meyer closed out the year on an eight-game hitting streak and he drove in at least one run in seven of his final eight games. His top single game performance of the season came against host SUNYIT on Apr. 15. Meyer went 4-for-5 from the dish, drove in four runs and scored three times in the Pioneers’ 10-4 win over the Wildcats.

Engelhardt, a speedy centerfielder, ranked second on the team with a .325 batting average in 30 games played. He scored a team-best 25 runs and stole 12 bases. He totaled 31 hits, including two doubles, three triples and one home run, to go along with six RBIs. His 13 walks ranked second on the team. He tallied at least one hit in 18-of-30 games and he posted nine multiple-hit contests. Midway through the season he scored 11 runs in a span of eight games. He committed just two errors as the Pioneers every day centerfielder.

Cabrera, who is making his second appearance on the all-conference team, batted .321 as a utility player for UC this past season. He drove in a career-high 12 runs on 26 hits and totaled 11 runs scored, five doubles and two home runs. He registered two different five-game hitting streaks this past season. Over the course of his three seasons with the Pioneers he totaled 70 hits and batted .341 in 68 games played. He tallied 13 doubles and three home runs in 205 career at-bats.

Chris Hine earned honorable mention status for the second consecutive season. Hine played 29 games at second base for the Pioneers and batted .319. He ripped a team-high eight doubles and ranked second on the team with 20 runs scored. He compiled two eight-game hitting streaks this past season. His top performance of the year came in the Pioneers’ 16-15 loss at Stevens when he went 4-for-5 at the plate with five RBIs and two runs scored.

Haentges, a junior utility player, had a breakout season after playing in just ten games last year. He batted .315 (23-for-73) and drove in seven runs. He totaled seven multi-hit games, including a 4-for-4 performance in the Pioneers’ 9-1 loss at Oswego State on Mar. 25.

Bittel, a left handed power hitter, played first base for the Pioneers this past season. He batted .283 in 31 games while adding a team-best six home runs. He ranked second on the team with 20 RBIs and led UC with 14 walks. He added 26 hits, 13 runs scored and five doubles in 92 at bats.

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