Mendez Co-Rookie of the Year Highlights AD3I All-Independent Baseball Teams
Eight Bears Named to All-Independent Teams
5/11/2009
KANSAS CITY, MO – For the second straight year, the Association of Division III Independents (AD3I) Baseball Rookie of the Year hails from St. Joseph’s College. Jon Mendez (Brooklyn, NY/Xavarian), a freshman catcher, was named the 2009 Co-Rookie of the Year and Second Team All-Independent catcher in a release sent out by the Association earlier today naming the 2009 All-Independent Baseball Teams.
Seven other Bears were also named to the three All-Independent Teams. Chris Coffey (Brooklyn, NY/Kingsborough CC) was named First Team starting pitcher. Anthony Langone (Staten Island, NY/Moore Catholic), Chris Davidson (San Carlos, CA/Canada College) and A.J. Passione (Brooklyn, NY/Xavarian) were named to the Second Team while Joseph Boccia (Westwood, NJ/Westwood), Mario Noriega (Los Angeles, CA/South Pasadena) and Keith Juricich (San Mateo, CA/Canada College) were named to the Third Team.
Mendez was the only Bear to start all 33 games and was a very versatile player able to play any position on the field. He also made five appearances in relief as a left-hander. (Mendez normally bats and throws right-handed as a position player). He received AD3I Player of the Week honors one time this season and led the Association in sacrifice flies (6) and was ranked fifth in runs batted in (39). Mendez led the team in total plate appearances (139) and RBI, was tied for the team-lead in hits (38) and home runs (2), and was fifth in batting average (.345).
Coffey earned four wins on the mound helping lead the second year program to 12 wins improving on the five win total from last season. He made 10 appearances (seven starts) leading the team in innings pitched (42.1) compiling a 4-3 record and 2.31 earned run average. The junior starting pitcher tossed a three-hit shutout (7 innings) against the College of Staten Island for St. Joseph’s first win of season. The first team starting pitcher, was ranked second in opposing batting average (.213) and hits allowed (36), third in runners picked off (3) and fifth in ERA.
Langone, a freshman named second team first baseman led the Bears with a .392 batting average for which he was ranked fourth in the Association. Langone received AD3I Player of the Week honors on April 27 amassing a .500 batting average, a .643 slugging percentage and .611 on-base percentage over a five-game stretch. Tied for team lead in hits (38) and ranked third on team in on-base percentage (.487) and runs batted in (27) and stolen bases (14).
Davidson, a junior outfielder/pitcher, was named second team outfielder alongside Passione. He led the team in batting for most of the season before missing the final five games due to injury. Davidson built a 13-game hitting streak at one point during the season and struck out only four times in 95 plate appearances. He was tied for the team lead in home runs (2), second in runs batted in (29) and third in batting average (.373). Davidson also made six starts on the mound posting a 3-2 record and 4.32 ERA in 35.2 innings of work, ranking second on the team in wins.
Passione, a freshman centerfielder with excellent range and arm strength, was named second team outfielder. He had a .969 fielding percentage committing only two errors in 65 chances. Passione is a solid leadoff hitter who possesses great speed in the base paths. He led the Association in stolen bases (22), was ranked third in on-base percentage (.508), and fifth in batting average (.388).
Boccia, third team shortstop, led the team in slugging (.551) and extra base hits (15) and batted .316 with 19 runs batted in this season. He was tied for the lead in the Association in triples (4). The freshman received AD3I Player of the Week honors one time this season and built an eight-game hitting streak.
Juricich, third team outfielder, amassed a perfect 1.000 fielding percentage, in the outfield in 26 attempts including four outfield assists. He was tied the lead in the Association in fielding percentage, and ranked fourth in stolen bases (15) only caught stealing once in sixteen attempts.
Noriega, third team designated hitter, batted .341 with 13 runs batted in and five doubles starting in 25 games for the Bears. He ranked fourth on the team in on-base percentage (.460).
AD3I Press Release
