BEVERLY, Mass. – Nine members of the Endicott baseball program have claimed Commonwealth Coast Conference (CCC) postseason honors, as announced by the organization earlier today.
Bradley Baldinger (Massapequa, N.Y.) headlined the group as the fifth-year catcher earned CCC Defensive Player of the Year accolades. Baldinger is the first Endicott student-athlete in program history to earn the award in its two-year history.
Meanwhile, Caleb Shpur (East Canaan, Conn.) and Jake Nardone (Wakefield, Mass.) were named to the All-CCC First Team.
The Gulls also saw Michael Kozlowski (Cheshire, Conn.), Liam Crovo (Melrose, Mass.), Kyle Grabowski (Westfield, Mass.), and Joseph Millar (Lake Hopatcong, N.J.) selected to the All-CCC Second Team.
Cooper Anibal (Bedford, N.H.) and Rian Schwede (Whitman, Mass.) rounded out the honorees with placements on the All-CCC Third Team.
BRADLEY BALDINGER | GR. | C
Baldinger's pitch calling and framing played a major role in Endicott leading the CCC in fewest walks allowed (49 total, 19 fewer than second overall) and ranking second in earned run average at 4.42. Additionally, as a team, the Gulls were 10-1 when Baldinger started behind the plate.
Individually, Baldinger sported a perfect fielding percentage on 100 total chances (95 putouts, 5 assists).
He also limited base runners to six stolen base attempts all year (two caught stealing, four stolen bases allowed) due to his prowess behind the plate.
The league-high for stolen bases allowed on the year was 31, while 13 catchers in the league allowed five or more stolen bases allowed this season.
CALEB SHPUR | SO. | OF
In 20 games played, Shpur produced a .423/.517/.732 (.avg/.obp/.slg) slash line to go along with 26 runs scored, seven doubles, three triples, three homers, 18 RBI, 11 walks, and nine stolen bases (9-11, .818).
Shpur's CCC ranks are as follows: runs (6th), hits (30, 8th), doubles (8th), triples (1st), home runs (9th), RBI, 10th), walks, (23rd), stolen bases (4th), batting average (4th), on-base percentage (3rd), slugging percentage (4th).
Shpur also compiled 11 multi-hit games (9 two-hit, 2 three-hit), four multi-RBI contests (1-2, 3-3), and will enter next season on a seven-game hit streak and 13-game reached base safely streak, respectively.
This is Shpur's first career All-CCC honor.
JAKE NARDONE | SO. | 1B/DH
Nardone put together a .383/.431/.717 slash line this season in 18 games.
He also scored 14 runs, notched five doubles and five homers, and drove in 23 for the Gulls.
Nardone's CCC ranks include: runs (28th), hits (23, 18th), home runs (7th), RBI (8th), batting average (9th), on-base percentage (21st), and slugging percentage (5th).
Meanwhile, Nardone's miscellaneous stat lines included seven multi-hit contests (5-2, 1-3, 1-5+) and five multi-RBI games (2-2, 1-3, 2-5+).
His breakout sophomore campaign also was highlighted by earning D3baseball.com Team of the Week honors on 4/27/2021, NCBWA Division III National Hitter of the Week honorable mention accolades on 4/28/2021, CCC Player of the Week honors on 4/26/2021, and CCC Rookie of the Week laurels on 5/3/2021.
This is Nardone's first career All-CCC honor.
MICHAEL KOZLOWSKI | FR. | RHP
Kozlowski's freshman campaign was a stellar one, to say the least, as the rookie right-hander went 5-1 overall behind a 2.84 ERA in 38 innings pitched. He also fanned 41 hitters – and only walked eight – in seven appearances total.
Kozlowski's CCC ranks include the following numbers: innings pitched (2nd), hits (37, 5th), strikeouts (5th), strikeouts per game (9.71, 8th), and ERA (4th).
LIAM CROVO | SO. | 2B
In 11 games played, Crovo had a .368/.468/.526 slash line to go along with seven runs scored, 14 hits (4 doubles, 1 triple), eight RBI, and six walks.
Much like the rest of his teammates, this is Crovo's first career All-CCC honor.
KYLE GRABOWSKI | FR. | 3B
Grabowski's freshman season was equally impressive as Kozlowski's as the first-year third baseman mashed at the plate to a tune of .343/.458/.537 slash line.
He also scored 10 runs, logged 23 hits (7 doubles, 2 home runs), plated 17, walked six times, and stole four bases.
Grabowski's CCC ranks include: runs (41st), hits (18th), doubles (8th), home runs (13th), RBI (14th), stolen bases (17th), batting average (17th), on-base percentage (15th), and slugging percentage (14th).
JOSEPH MILLAR | JR. | OF
In 18 games on the year, Millar turned in an eye-popping .407/.541/.759 slash with 24 runs, six doubles, two triples, three home runs, 17 RBI, 13 walks, and seven stolen bases.
His CCC ranks are as follows: runs (8th), hits (22, 23rd), doubles (11th), triples (3rd), home runs (9th), RBI (14th), walks (13th), stolen bases (6th), batting average (7th), on-base percentage (2nd), and slugging percentage (3rd).
Per the trend, this is also Millar's first career All-CCC postseason award.
COOPER ANIBAL | SR. | RHP
Anibal went 3-0 on the season (3 GS, 4 APP) behind 14 strikeouts and a 3.18 ERA in 17 innings pitched.
This is Anibal's second career selection to the All-CCC Third Team.
RIAN SCHWEDE | SO. | RHP
In seven appearances (five starts), Schwede sported a 2-1 record, 26 strikeouts, and a 5.47 ERA in 24 2/3 innings pitched.
This is Schwede's first career All-CCC honor.
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(Photo Credit - David Le '10)
