Eight Scarlet Knights Named To NJCBA All-State Teams
May 18 | Baseball
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Ryan Beard receives his NJCBA First Team certificate from Coach Hill.
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Four Scarlet Knights earned NJCBA Second Team All-State honors, including infielders Dan Betteridge (Sewell, N.J.) and Jaren Matthews (Teaneck, N.J.), outfielder Jarred Jimenez (Monroe, N.J.), designated hitter Pat Biserta (Point Pleasant, N.J.) and pitcher Casey Gaynor (Toms River, N.J.). Freshman Steven Zavala (Randolph, N.J.) was named to the NJCBA All-State Rookie Team.
The NJCBA is comprised of the 24 Division I, II and III collegiate baseball playing schools in the state of New Jersey. The Division I All-state Team includes representatives from the eight Division I schools – Fairleigh Dickinson, Monmouth, New Jersey Institute of Technology, Princeton, Rider, Rutgers, Saint Peter’s and Seton Hall.
Beard was a dominant closer for the Scarlet Knights all season. He finished the year with eight saves and posted a 2.28 earned run average and 15 strikeouts in 27.2 innings in 2009. The senior preserved several one-run victories for the Scarlet Knights. His eight saves tied him for third place in a single-season in Rutgers history and, despite pitching for Rutgers just two years, Beard tied for fifth place in school history with 11 career saves. He punctuated his stellar RU career by retiring the side in order in the ninth to seal a 5-3 victory over Georgetown in the season finale Saturday.
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Michael Lang receives his NJCBA First Team certificate from Coach Hill.
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Betteridge hit .302 with 15 doubles, a triple and three home runs on the season. The strong-armed shortstop made just eight errors in 305 chances at the position this season. He was one of two Scarlet Knights to start all 53 games.
Matthews, the other Scarlet Knight to start all 53 games this season, finished second on the Rutgers roster with a .328 batting average. The sophomore first baseman recorded eight doubles, a triple and six home runs and was 10-for13 on stolen base attempts on the year. He led the team with 30 walks and owned a .421 on-base percentage. Matthews collected at least one hit in 14 of his final 17 games of the season, raising his season batting average from .290 to .328 during the span.
Jimenez hit .311 on the season in 50 games as RU’s left fielder. He registered 10 doubles, three triples and five home runs. He led the team with 39 runs batted in, spending most of the season as the Scarlet Knights’ No. 4 or No. 5 hitter. Jimenez also walked 24 times on the year and had six outfield assists from his left-field position.
Biserta, who was the Scarlet Knights’ designated hitter in nearly all 53 games, finished third on the team with a .326 batting average. He also owned a .522 slugging percentage thanks to a team-best 18 doubles, one triple and five home runs. He was third on the team with 36 runs batted in while primarily hitting No. 2 in the lineup.
Despite a 2-9 record, Gaynor worked long into each contest and posted the highest strikeout total on the Rutgers roster this season with 59 in 76 innings. He started 13 games on the year and owned a 5.57 earned run average. The junior pitched a complete game and recorded a season-best eight strikeouts while surrendering just one earned run in a win over Connecticut in April.
Zavala played in 22 games with four starts in his first season of collegiate action. He saw extensive time as the Scarlet Knights’ center fielder, while also taking the mound as a relief pitcher for RU. The freshman hit .261 at the plate and had three outfield assists from his center field position. He totaled 15 innings on the mound with 10 strikeouts and posted a 1-1 record. Zavala made his lone start at Rider in late March.
Rutgers finished the season 22-31 and return eight of its nine position starters and the designated hitter, while also welcoming back a veteran pitching staff in 2010.
All-NJCBA First Team
SP – Ryan Buch, Monmouth
SP – Sean Black, Seton Hall
SP – David Palms, Princeton
RP – Ryan Beard, Rutgers
C – Bobby Dombrowski, Monmouth
1B – Brian Dillon, FDU
2B – Chris Collazo, Monmouth
3B – Ryan Terry, Monmouth
SS – Connor Mullee, Saint Peter’s
OF – Michael Lang, Rutgers
OF – Matt Smedberg, Seton Hall
OF – Nick Pulsonetti, Monmouth
DH – Chris Affinito, Seton Hall
UTL – Zach Sand, FDU
All-NJCBA Second Team
SP – Michael Strachman, FDU
SP – Joe DiRocco, Seton Hall
SP – Casey Gaynor, Rutgers
RP – Matt Singer, Seton Hall
C – Erik Pollag, FDU
INF – Paul Bottigliero, Monmouth
INF – Matt Holsman, FDU
INF – Dan Betteridge, Rutgers
INF – A.J. Albee, Rider
INF – Jaren Matthews, Rutgers
OF – Jarred Jimenez, Rutgers
OF – Matt Maher, FDU
OF – Jamie Hayes, Rider
DH – Pat Biserta, Rutgers
UTL – Brian Koster, Saint Peter’s
NJCBA All-Rookie Team
Scott Morrison, C, FDU
Dave Phelan, C, Seton Hall
Mike Eliasen, SS, FDU
Vincent Del Vecchio, NJIT
Ryan Kresky, 3B, FDU
Jamie Rosenkranz, 3B, Monmouth
Josh Boyd, OF, Monmouth
David Jacob, OF, Monmouth
Jeff Pizzi, OF, NJIT
Brandon Cotten, OF, Rider
Will Walsh, OF, Seton Hall
Steven Zavala, UTL, Rutgers
Henry Warner, P, Seton Hall
Ethan Jackson, P, Saint Peter’s
NJCBA Player of the Year
Sean Olsen – Rider
NJCBA Co-Pitchers of the Year
Brett Brach – Monmouth
Keith Cantwell – Seton Hall
NJCBA Coach of the Year
Dean Ehehalt, Monmouth
NJCBA Rookie Player of the Year
Justyn Carter – Saint Peter’s College
NJCBA Rookie Pitcher of the Year
Dom Macaluso – Saint Peter’s College
