Seven baseball players named to All-Region Team
HERKIMER, NY – The Herkimer Generals baseball team had five first team and two second team All-Region members announced to the 2015 squad which totaled 22 players from the Region III.
Patrick Merryweather and Joe Nellis were the two pitches selected. Merryweather - who is from Baldwinsville, NY – earned a spot on the first team. The sophomore was first regionally in shutouts (3), second in wins (8), strike outs (65), earned run average (2.26), fourth in innings pitched (59.2) and fifth in strike outs per game (9.80). His best start of the season came against Fulton-Montgomery at home, only allowing one hit to the Raiders for the complete game shutout in six innings. As for Nellis - who is from Johnstown, NY – he was selected second team thanks to an 8-0 season in nine appearances. His eight wins tied with Merryweather for second best in the region. Nellis was also sixth regionally in shutouts (1), 16th in strikeouts (43) and third in ERA (2.37). His best performance came against SUNY Adirondack at home when he threw a perfect game against the Timberwolves, striking out nine batters in five innings pitched for the 10-0 victory.
Patrick Dorrian, Tyler Phillips and John Boland were all first teamers from the infield. Dorrian - who is from Kingston - was fifth regionally in runs scored (61), seventh in hits (60), fourth in triples (5), second in runs batted in (59) and third in walks (34). His best game came against Erie Community College in the Region III Championship game, going 5-for-6 at the plate with a double, home run and four RBI. Phillips - who is from Hancock, NY – was second regionally in runs scored (67), first in hits (84), second in doubles (20), fourth in runs batted in (53), third in batting average (.486), seventh in on-base percentage (.520) and sixth in slugging percentage (.676). He collected a hit in every game but nine (50 games played) with multiple RBI in 16 games, striking out only 12 times in 202 plate appearances. Boland – who is from Rhinebeck, NY – was third in runs scored (65), fourth in hits (69), seventh in doubles (15), 13th in runs batted in (43), 10th in stolen bases (20) and 13th in batting average (.416). His best game of the season came against Montgomery in the World Series, going 5-for-6 at the plate with three runs scored, two doubles, and one run batted in – helping Herkimer defeat the Raptors 11-10 in an elimination game - totaling nine hits and four RBI in the tournament.
Taishi Terashima and Chris Rave were the final two Generals not mentioned. Terashima made it to the first team as an outfielder, while Rave made it to the second team as a designated hitter. Terashima – who is from Hiranai, Japan – was first regionally in runs scored (82), second in hits (78), fourth in doubles (17), seventh in stolen bases (21), sixth in batting average (.459) and fourth in on base percentage (.557). The sophomore had a stretch where he scored a run in 27 straight games, reaching base in 47 of 50 games played in 2015. Rave – who is from Middletown, NY – was third regionally in hits (74) and doubles (18), first in RBI (61), fifth in batting average (.460) and 11th in slugging percentage (.640). The sophomore tallied three runs batted in six times, five twice and six once. His six RBI performance came against Montgomery in the World Series, going 3-for-5 at the plate with two home runs.
"We have never had seven players selected to the All-Region team, but I think you have to look at the numbers these players put up this past season," said Head Baseball Coach Jason Rathbun. "These guys had an incredible record-breaking year which showed in their level of play throughout the season."
-Giorgio Varlaro