Delaware State University first baseman Ryan Haas was named the 2012 Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) Baseball Player of the Year, the conference announced on Tuesday. Bethune-Cookman's Rayan Gonzalez was selected as the Pitcher of the Year and Savannah State's Rexford Davis was named Rookie of the Year. Head Coach JP Blandin of Delaware State earned Coach of the Year accolades.
All awards are voted on by the conference's head baseball coaches and sports information directors.
Haas led the conference and was seventh in the nation in doubles (21) and 23rd in the nation in RBI (53). Named as an All-MEAC first-team selection for the second time in his career, Haas tallied a .361 batting average with 65 hits, one home run and one triple in 180 plate appearances. Defensively, the first baseman was second in the conference with 339 putouts. In six appearances on the mound, the junior was 3-1 with 19 strikeouts, 15 walks and an ERA of 4.50 in 30.0 innings.
Gonzalez recorded a 2.16 ERA and was second in the conference with eight wins (8-1). In 13 appearances, the senior was also second in the MEAC with 72 strikeouts. In total, Gonzalez pitched 79.1 innings, allowing 24 runs, 19 earned runs and 17 walks.
Davis was 5-2 with an ERA of 4.00 in 45.0 innings. The rookie started eight games allowing 38 hits, 24 runs, 20 earned runs and striking out 24 batters. Davis earned MEAC Pitcher of the Week honors once this season.
Blandin, who is his 12th year at the helm of the DSU Hornets, lead his team to a 22-2 record in conference play and the northern divisional crown. The Hornets concluded the regular season winning 17-of-18 games and posted a 35-15-1 mark. DSU's 35 wins this season is third best in team history, trailing only the 2002 (40-19) and 2001 (37-10) teams. Under his tutelage, DSU led the MEAC in over 10 statistical categories including batting average (.309), slugging percentage (.394), runs scored (426), hits (501), RBI (351), ERA (3.57), and walks (218).
Delaware State led the conference with seven student-athletes earning all-conference first and second team selections. Bethune-Cookman and North Carolina A&T each had five all-conference nods.
The 2012 MEAC Baseball Championship tournament gets underway Wednesday, May 16 beginning at 9 a.m. at the Marty L. Miller field on the campus of Norfolk State University.
Norfolk State (N2) will face North Carolina A&T (S3) on Wednesday at 9 a.m. Games two and three will include Bethune-Cookman (S1) against Coppin State (N4) and Delaware State (1N) and Savannah State (4S). North Carolina Central (S2) and Maryland Eastern Shore (3N) will complete the action on day one beginning at 7:30 p.m.
The championship finale is set for Sunday, May 20 beginning at 1 p.m. A complete tournament schedule of events is available on www.MEACsports.com.
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