2014 Baseball Awards Announced

Posted: Jun 19, 2014

The 2014 baseball season officially came to a close on Sunday afternoon at the annual Awards Cookout held at Newport News Park.

The following were award winners for the 2014 season:

TEAM NOTES

Sixth straight year of at least 25 wins
Third of at last 28
Second straight third-place USCAA National Tournament finish
First wins over Christopher Newport since 2001
Very strong schedule with wins over
- NCAA Division II regionally-ranked Bloomsburg
- NCAA Division III National Tournament qualifier Castleton State
- USCAA National Tournament qualifiers Rochester College and Briarcliffe College
Also played NCAA Division II National Tournament Qualifier Kutztown University and NCAA Division III National Tournament qualifiers Massachusetts Institute of Technology along with Tufts University

Individual Honors

Leading Hitter

Chris Aldridge/Senior/Toano, VA/Pipefitter

Finished with a .394 batting average
2013 and 2014 First Team USCAA All-American
20-multi-hit games
20-game hitting streak
Reached base in 20 straight games
Stole 19 bases
Two four-hit games – vs. NCAA Division III Tournament qualifier Castleton State and Christopher Newport
Drove in 5 runs same game against Castleton State

Best Defensive

Zach Harding/Senior/Spotsylvania, VA/Electrician

Threw out eight potential stolen base attempts and had one pickoff as a senior
Handled the catcher duties for his four year career
Finished his career with a .975 fielding percentage
Finished career tied for third in most runners picked off with seven

Rookie Of The Year

Brian Belvin/Freshman/Gloucester, VA/Rigger

2014 Second Team USCAA All-American
12 multi-hit games
12 multi-RBI games – topped by 4 against Southern Maine CC
14-game hitting streak
Reached base in 24 straight games
Only 8 errors in over 300 chances at first base

Pitcher Of the Year

Taylor Gomer/Sophomore/Smithfield, VA/Insulator

Finished 8-2 with a 1.73 ERA
Most wins by a Builder pitcher since 2010
Threw eight innings of shutout ball allowing five hits against NCAA Division II University of Mary
Allowed four hits in seven innings in a 9-0 win over NCAA Division II Virginia State University
Struck out nine against NCAA Division III Tournament qualifier Castleton State College and eight against eventual USCAA Runner-up University of Cincinnati Clermont.

Most Improved

Chris Perry/Senior/Chesapeake, VA/Patternmaker

2014 Second Team USCAA All-American
2014 Scouts Choice Award winner by the Tidewater Mid-Atlantic Scouts Association
After starting his career as an infielder, he finished as one of the top pitchers on the team as a senior.
Finished the year 6-2 with a 2.36 ERA
Struck out six in six innings against USCAA Tournament participant Rochester College
Against CNU, went eight innings allowing nine hits in a 15-3 win
Struck out seven against Thomas Nelson CC and Lock Haven in his first two starts of the year.

Builder Award

Lee Rossi/Junior/Culpeper, VA/Maintenance Electrician

USCAA All-Tournament Selection
Hit .500 in the USCAA Nationals
Consistency in left field for the Builders throughout the year
10 multi-hit games
6 multi-RBI games
Had 3 hits against NCAA Division II University of Mary
Was 2-for-2 with 2 RBI in USCAA Tournament opener against Briarcliffe

The Builder Award is presented on behalf of the Apprentice Athletic Club to a student-athlete from each sport that has demonstrated excellence in four areas of their apprenticeship – Craftsmanship, Scholarship, Leadership and Sportsmanship. A candidate is selected based on their average shop grade over the course of their apprenticeship, their cumulative academic GPA in the World Class Shipbuilding and/or Advanced Curriculum, conduct on the job and the classroom, attendance and overall athletic contributions to their sport over the course of the past year. Each year the Apprentice Athletic Club presents this award to the student-athlete who embodies the true characteristics necessary to be not only a great Builder, but more importantly a great Shipbuilder.