JOHNSTOWN —
Nate Campbell has enjoyed two big nights in a row, but the Berkley Hills Renegades center fielder knows there’s still plenty of work ahead for the AAABA League regular-season champions.
Campbell managed a few minutes to savor his selection as the league’s Dr. Robert Hartnett Most Valuable Player Award winner on Thursday night.
“I’m tremendously honored to even be considered the MVP of my own team. We have a lot of great players on our team and a lot of players who are deserving: Johnny Jones, Ryan Uhl,” said Campbell, who took home the AAABA League batting title with a .421 average. “I’m truly honored to be in the discussion.”
Martella’s Pharmacy right-hander Derek Younker won the Pete Vuckovich Award as top pitcher. Delweld swept the rookie awards with second baseman Ian Helsel (Ken Horoho Award as top rookie position player) and right-hander Marcus Shippey (Bill Jenkins Award as top rookie pitcher).
Campbell bats in the lead-off spot for the 25-11 Renegades.
“My job was easy,” he said. “Our lineup is so balanced 1 through 9. To have those guys behind me it makes it so much easier.”
Last season he was a pickup player with Delweld and posted a .412 batting average in the AAABA Tournament.
The Renegades will play
No. 4 Laurel Auto Group in the opening game of the best-of-5 league semifinals at 5:30 tonight at Point Stadium.
“The league is as balanced as it’s been in a long time,” Campbell said. “It was anybody’s game up until the last week of the season. It’s been fun for the players and the fans. It’d be easy to sit back and say we accomplished a lot but we can’t do that. We’ve got to move foward and think about winning the playoff championship now.”
Younker went 6-0 with a 1.08 ERA in 39 innings pitched. The Pitt-Johnstown product had 46 strikeouts and only four walks.
“Derek has been great for us all season,” Martella’s manager Chris Pfeil said. “He throws strikes and he keeps his walks to a minimum. He has the ability to strike batters out for his outs, but guys put the ball in play and he keeps teams from getting big innings.
“When he’s on the mound our guys play with a lot of confidence. They know he’s going to go out there and give us a good effort and keep us in any baseball game.”
Helsel was second on Delweld with a .378 batting average. He had 42 hits, eight doubles, two triples and 17 RBI.
Shippey went 4-1 with one save. He posted a 1.70 ERA while striking out 39 and walking 16.
Delweld and Martella’s each finished 23-13. They meet in tonight’s 8:30 p.m. semifinal at the Point.
The All-AAABA Team includes:
Starting pitchers Nate Spohn (Renegades); Ben Legath (Delweld); Ian Stiffler (Delweld); Ryan Bills (Laurel Auto Group); and Mike Mulvey (Martella’s Pharmacy).
Relief pitchers Rylan Schnably (Martella’s) and Ross Orgera (Martella’s).
Catcher Pat Gully (Martella’s); first baseman (Ryan Uhl (Renegades); second baseman Matt McMillen (Martella’s); shortstop Eric Weyant (Delweld); and third baseman Johnny Jones (Renegades).
Outfielders Josh Staniscia (Delweld); Joe Fearer (Laurel Auto Group); Dan Abbenante (Martella’s); and Logan Brown (Delweld).
Designated hitter Dillon Boyer (Martella’s); Utility player Zach Solarczyk (Delweld); and A.J. Rievel (Renegades).
Sports
Campbell picked as AAABA MVP
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