NORFOLK, Va. – Florida A&M first baseman Bennie Robinson was named the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) Baseball Player of the Year, the conference announced on Wednesday. Carlos Ortiz of North Carolina Central was selected Rookie of the Year, while Bethune-Cookman’s Montana Durapau earned Pitcher of the Year for the second straight time. Florida A&M head coach Jamey Shouppe received Coach of the Year accolades.
All awards are voted on by the conference’s head baseball coaches and sports information directors.
Robinson leads the Rattlers in batting average (.401), hits (69), runs (38), RBIs (35) and doubles (14). Robinson, who has a .477 on-base percentage, ranked first in the MEAC in hits and second in runs scored. Nationally, Robinson is 20th in batting and 20th in hits. He was selected to MEAC Player of the Week on March 31, and was an All-MEAC Preseason Second Team honoree.
Ortiz finished the season with a .323 batting average on 127 at-bats, with 41 hits, 24 runs, 22 RBIs, and five home runs. He boasted a .392 on-base percentage. Defensively, Ortiz registered 81 putouts and four assists. He was selected the MEAC Rookie of the Week twice.
Durapau appeared in 16 games this season, starting 13. The MEAC Preseason Pitcher of the Year led his team with a 9-1 overall record and 4-0 in conference games only. A four-time MEAC Pitcher of the Week honoree, Durapau ranks first on his team with a 1.30 ERA, innings pitched (83.1), wins, strikeouts (70), and complete games (2). Nationally, Durapau ranks 15th in wins and 16th in ERA. He also was the MEAC Pitcher of the Week four times.
Shouppe earned Coach of the Year honors after leading the Rattlers to a share of the 2014 southern divisional title and a number two seed in the MEAC championship, with a 14-10 MEAC mark.
Joining Robinson (FAMU) and Durapau (BCU) on the first team are Matt McClain (DSU), Kevin Herlihy (SSU), Mike Alexander (DSU), Todd Hagen (SSU), Tyson Simpson (NCCU), DJ Miller (DSU), Aarron Nardone (DSU), Stephen Bull (UMES), Byron Campbell (UMES), and Charles Sikes (SSU).
The 2014 MEAC Baseball Championship tournament gets underway Wednesday, May 14 beginning at 9 a.m. at the Marty L. Miller field in Norfolk, Va. Admission is $7 per day or $25 for the four-day tournament. A complete tournament bracket can be found on www.MEACsports.com.
2014 Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference
Baseball All-Conference Awards
Player of the Year Rookie of the Year
Bennie Robinson, Florida A&M Carlos Ortiz, North Carolina Central
Pitcher of the Year Coach of the Year
Montana Durapau, Bethune-Cookman Jamey Shouppe, Florida A&M
First Team
|
Pos.
|
Name
|
School
|
Class
|
Ht.
|
Wt.
|
Hometown
|
|
P
|
Montana Durapau
|
Bethune-Cookman
|
Sr.
|
5-10
|
170
|
Deltona, Fla.
|
|
P
|
Matt McClain
|
Delaware State
|
Sr.
|
6-2
|
180
|
Dover, Del.
|
|
RP
|
Kevin Herlihy
|
Savannah State
|
Sr.
|
6-3
|
175
|
Roswell, Ga.
|
|
C
|
Mike Alexander
|
Delaware State
|
Sr.
|
5-10
|
185
|
New Castle, Del.
|
|
1B
|
Bennie Robinson
|
Florida A&M
|
Sr.
|
6-3
|
233
|
Ocala, Fla.
|
|
2B
|
Todd Hagen
|
Savannah State
|
Sr.
|
5-9
|
160
|
Bristol, Ga.
|
|
3B
|
Tyson Simpson
|
North Carolina Central
|
Sr.
|
5-11
|
205
|
Burgaw, N.C.
|
|
SS
|
DJ Miller
|
Delaware State
|
Sr.
|
6-0
|
175
|
Wilmington, Del.
|
|
OF
|
Aarron Nardone
|
Delaware State
|
Sr.
|
6-0
|
195
|
Chesapeake, Va.
|
|
OF
|
Stephen Bull
|
Maryland Eastern Shore
|
Sr.
|
5-7
|
155
|
Millsboro, Del.
|
|
OF
|
Byron Campbell
|
Maryland Eastern Shore
|
Sr.
|
5-11
|
200
|
Waldorf, Md.
|
|
DH
|
Charles Sikes
|
Savannah State
|
Jr.
|
6-4
|
215
|
Hinesville, Ga.
|
Second Team
|
Pos.
|
Name
|
School
|
Class
|
Ht.
|
Wt.
|
Hometown
|
|
P
|
Austin Denney
|
Savannah State
|
Jr.
|
5-11
|
160
|
Springfield, Ga.
|
|
P
|
Keith Zuniga
|
Bethune-Cookman
|
r-Jr.
|
6-0
|
185
|
Nogales, Ariz.
|
|
RP
|
Devin Hemmerich
|
Norfolk State
|
Fr.
|
6-0
|
170
|
Norfolk, Va.
|
|
C
|
Lester Salcedo
|
North Carolina A&T
|
Jr.
|
6-0
|
195
|
Wilmington, Calif.
|
|
1B
|
Eric Sams
|
Bethune-Cookman
|
Sr.
|
5-11
|
195
|
Apopka, Fla.
|
|
2B
|
Cody Ellis
|
Norfolk State
|
Sr.
|
6-3
|
185
|
Timberlake, N.C.
|
|
3B
|
Cameron Cecil
|
Delaware State
|
Sr.
|
5-9
|
180
|
Gloucester, Va.
|
|
SS
|
Luke Tendler
|
North Carolina A&T
|
Sr.
|
6-0
|
195
|
Wilmington, N.C.
|
|
OF
|
Eros Modena
|
Bethune-Cookman
|
Sr.
|
6-0
|
202
|
Miami, Fla.
|
|
OF
|
Marlon Gibbs
|
Florida A&M
|
Jr.
|
5-9
|
185
|
Orange Park, Fla.
|
|
OF
|
Carlos Ortiz
|
North Carolina Central
|
Fr.
|
5-9
|
185
|
Cleveland, Ohio
|
|
DH
|
Carter Williamson
|
North Carolina Central
|
Jr.
|
5-7
|
170
|
Greensboro, N.C.
|