Baseball

Cougars Land Seven On NJAC All-Star Team

Pitman, N.J. (5/1/08) - Sophomore Joe Bartlinski (South Amboy, N.J.) and senior Derek Gianakas (Edison, N.J.) have been selected as New Jersey Athletic Conference (NJAC) 1^st Team All-Stars while seniors Tom Paglione (Hamilton, N.J.), Eric Ammirata (Hamilton, N.J.) and Maikel De La Rosa (Newark, N.J.) were tabbed with 2^nd Team honors.

Rounding out the All-Star nods are senior catcher Kevin O'Neill (Union, N.J.) (pictured right) and sophomore Mike Moceri (Yardville, N.J.) (pictured left) who were selected to the Honorable Mention team.

A two-time first-team all-conference selection, Gianakas currently leads the NJAC in both slugging percentage (.746) and home runs (11). A two-time NJAC Player of the Week selection, he also ranks second in total bases (100) and third in runs scored (45). Against NJAC pitching, Gianakas hit .400 and posted league-best totals in slugging percentage (.917); runs scored (24); home runs (7); and total bases (55). Bartlinski currently boasts a 6-2 overall record with a 2.09 ERA and 67 strikeouts in over 60 innings pitched.   He is currently fourth in the NJAC in ERA and third in strikeouts.

Paglione earns his first NJAC honor after posting a league-best 0.92 ERA and 3-0 record in conference games.  Paglione allowed just four earned runs and fanned 21.  Ammirata also earns NJAC honors for the first time after pounding out career best numbers in his senior campaign.  Ammirata is sporting a .360 batting average while driving in 32, good for second on the squad.  He has also stolen 17 bases while crossing the plate 32 times.  De La Rosa earns 2^nd team honors for the third straight year after batting .328 in NJAC action.  In 17 games he stole 11 bases while also walking 12 times.  De La Rosa committed just two errors in 96 chances.

O'Neill earns his first NJAC nod after collecting five doubles and a .293 batting average in conference play.  O'Neill also collected one triple and drove in nine.  A newcomer to the Cougars, Moceri earned his first NJAC honor after batting .363 in conference with 16 RBI.  Moceri also hit four doubles and crossed the plate 14 times.