Ben Watkins Garners First-Team All-Atlantic Region Honors by Coaches;
Senior Closer Eric Faint Named to Second-Team
05/19/09...Pitt-Johnstown senior right-hander Ben Watkins (Tire Hill, Pa.), the Daktronics Atlantic Region Pitcher of the Year, garnered another honor when he was named American Baseball Coaches Association (ABCA)/Rawlings First-Team Atlantic Region on Tuesday. Senior closer Eric Faint (Johnstown, Pa.) was selected to the second-team... (ABCA/Rawlings All-North Atlantic Baseball Teams)
Slippery Rock University junior catcher Matt Adams was named the 2009 Daktronics Atlantic Region Player of the Year, while Kutztown University’s Darin Gorski was tabbed the pitcher of the year by the coaches. In addition, West Chester University’s Greg Mamula was named the coach of year after leading the Golden Rams to the Atlantic Region title and a berth in the 2009 NCAA Division II World Series.
Watkins, the WVIAC Pitcher of the Year and a three-time WVIAC Pitcher of the Week recipient in 2009, led Pitt-Johnstown with a 7-1 record and a .84 earned-run-average in 53.1 innings-pitched. Watkins allowed just seven runs all seasons, five of which were earned. Watkins also struck out a team-best 63, while walking only four. In this week’s NCAA statistics, Watkins, a graduate of Conemaugh Township Area High School, ranks second in the country in walks allowed per nine innings (.68), fifth in E.R.A. (.84), 19th in strikeouts per nine innings (10.64), 22nd in hits allowed per nine innings (6.59) and 50th in victories (7).
Faint ended the season with a 5-1 record and a team-high five saves. His 1.32 E.R.A. in 34 innings-pitched was second on the team. Faint ranks 53rd nationally in saves with five.
Pitt-Johnstown wrapped-up the 2009 season with a 29-15 overall record. The Mountain Cats also finished third in the WVIAC Northern Division with a 9-7 record.