Wrapping Up the 2012 Season
The Kean University baseball team posted its eighth straight 30-win season and earned their 10th appearance in the NCAA postseason after capturing their third straight New Jersey Athletic Conference title. The Cougars marched through the Lakewood Regional with four straight wins, earning their fifth trip to the World Series in the past six seasons.
Kean was ranked in the top 20 in all of Division III throughout the season and used their veteran experience to propel them to 37 wins.
Senior Ryan Zamorsky tied the Cougar standard with 10 wins on the mound (10-1) on his way to earning American Baseball Coaches Association (ABCA) First-Team All-American honors. Zamorsky, who becomes just the fifth player to earn first-team accolades, tossed three complete games while boasting a miniscule 1.14 ERA. Junior Kevin Herget set a new single-season record with 113 strikeouts as he picked up seven wins for the Cougars with four complete games during 2012. Senior Mike Russo also picked up seven wins, as he leaves the program with 17 wins in just two seasons.
Sophomore Joe O’Connor was one of three players to start every game this season as he led the team in runs batted in, homeruns, walks and stolen bases. He also added a team-high nine triples, one shy of the program single-season mark. O’Connor was tabbed a first-team all-NJAC and all-region player for his utility role this season. Senior Eddie Jennings led the team in both batting average and doubles as he started all 49 games behind the plate in 2012. Senior Steve Sanguiliano earned awards this season not only for his bat and glove, but his arm as well as he registered a team-high eight saves on the mound, in addition to team-highs in hits and runs scored.
Head coach Neil Ioviero completed his 15th season with the Cougars and was named the ABCA Mid-Atlantic Coach of the Year as he guided Kean into the NCAA postseason for the ninth time during his tenure. This is the fourth time Ioviero earns the accolade.
WEEKLY and POSTSEASON HONORS
Shane Alvarez – ABCA/Rawlings Mid-Atlantic Region Gold Glove (OF), NJCBA Division II/III 2nd Team, NJAC Player of the Week
Chris Cirlincione – NJAC Pitcher of the Week
Dan Hansen- NJCBA Division II/III Rookie Pitcher of the Week
Kevin Herget – NJCBA Division II/III 1st Team, NJAC Pitcher of the Week, NJCBA Division II/III Pitcher of the Week
Neil Ioviero – ABCA Mid-Atlantic Coach of the Year, NJCBA Division II/III Coach of the Year
Dylan Laguna – NCAA Division III Mid-Atlantic All-Tournament Team, NJAC Player of the Week
Andy Lopez – NJAC Rookie of the Week, NJCBA Division II/III Rookie of the Week
Eddie Jennings – ABCA Mid-Atlantic All-Region 3rd Team, D3baseball.com Mid-Atlantic Region 1st Team, NJAC Second-Team, NJCBA Division II/III 1st Team
Joe O’Connor – ABCA Mid-Atlantic All-Region 1st Team, D3baseball.com Mid-Atlantic Region 1st Team, NCAA Division III Mid-Atlantic All-Tournament Team, ECAC Metro All-Star, NJAC First-Team, NJCBA Division II/III 1st Team
Steve Sanguiliano – ABCA Mid-Atlantic All-Region 1st Team, D3baseball.com Mid-Atlantic Region 2ndTeam, ECAC Metro All-Star, NJAC First-Team, NJCBA Division II/III Fireman of the Year, NJCBA Division II/III 1st Team,
Tyler Smarslok – NCAA Division III Mid-Atlantic All-Tournament Team, NJAC Second-Team, NJAC Player of the Week, NJCBA Division II/III Player of the Week
Charles Thielmann – NJCBA Division II/III All-Rookie Team, NJAC Rookie Pitcher of the Week
Mike Russo – NJAC Pitcher of the Week
Ryan Zamorsky – ABCA 1st Team All-American, D3baseball.com 2nd Team All-American, ABCA Mid-Atlantic All-Region 1st Team, D3baseball.com Mid-Atlantic Region 1st Team, NCAA Division III Mid-Atlantic Tournament Most Outstanding Player, ECAC Metro Pitcher of the Year, NJAC Pitcher of the Year, NJAC First-Team, NJCBA Division II/III Pitcher of the Year, NJAC Pitcher of the Week
