Five baseball players earn All-American status
HERKIMER, NY – The Herkimer Generals baseball team had five players selected to the NJCAA DIII All-American team on Monday (6/8), the most the program has ever received in one season.
Selected to the first team was pitcher Patrick Merryweather. The resident of Baldwinsville, NY was seventh in the nation in wins (8), first in shutouts (3), 16th in strikeouts (65) and 20th in earned run average (2.26). In his World Series start, the sophomore was 0-1, but only allowed one earned run to the eventual national champion in 7 2/3rd innings pitched, scattering 12 hits and striking out nine Apaches for a 1.17 ERA in the game. Proceeding that start was his Region III Championship game appearance against Erie. Merryweather allowed three runs on seven hits in 6 2/3rd innings pitched, accumulating eight strikeouts for the 19-7 win over the Kats.
Second team members were Patrick Dorrian and Taishi Terashima. Dorrian - who is from Kingston, NY – was seventh nationally in runs scored (61), fifth in triples (5), fourth in runs batted in (59) and fourth in walks (34). At the World Series he drove in three runs in five games, accumulating two doubles, two triples and four runs scored. His best game of the season 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. As for Terashima - the resident of Hiranai, Japan - was first nationally in runs scored (81), seventh in hits (78), ninth in doubles (17), 14th in stolen bases (21), 10th in batting average (.459) and 6th in on-base percentage (.557). He scored four runs and collected three hits in the World Series, but will always be remembered for his three RBI double against Erie in an elimination game at Veterans Memorial Park. The sophomore tied the game (8-8) with his opposite field hit, helping the Generals score seven runs in the inning down 8-2, then came around to score the game winning run to defeat Erie 9-8.
Third team members were Tyler Phillips and John Boland. Phillips – a resident of Hancock, NY - was nationally ranked in many categories, scoring 67 runs (3rd) with 84 hits (3rd), 20 doubles (3rd), a .486 batting average (4th), .520 on-base percentage (21st), .676 slugging percentage (16th) and 19 double plays (16th). At the World Series he had five runs batted in off of 10 hits, all of which were singles, helping the sophomore collect 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 in 2015. As for Boland - the Rhinebeck, NY native - ranked fourth nationally in runs scored (65), 15th in hits (69), 17th in doubles (15), 28th in runs batted in (43) and 34th in batting average (.416). In the World Series he drove in four runs for the Generals off of nine hits, collecting five of them against Montgomery in an 11-10 win. More impressive than that, Boland only recorded one error in 258 chances in 2015 as a catcher and first baseman.
"I am very proud of these players' accomplishments during their time at Herkimer," said Head Coach Jason Rathbun. "All of their names will go on our All-American sign at our field, transcribing this accomplishment for years to come. I think we were represent well by the NJCAA and couldn't be prouder of our players."
-Giorgio Varlaro