The Holy Cross baseball team had four student-athletes named All-Patriot League, including three first-team selections, the conference announced on Wednesday, May 8.
Senior right-handed pitcher Declan Cronin, sophomore right-handed pitcher Liam Dvorak and sophomore designated hitter Evan Blum were named to the first team, each earning the first All-League honor of their career. Junior center fielder Austin Masel received a spot on the second team, the third All-Patriot League selection of his career.
Cronin led the Crusaders in Patriot League play with a 2.70 ERA and 5-1 record, striking out 43 batters in 46.2 innings pitched. He ranked second among the league's pitchers in conference ERA this season. Overall, Cronin had a 4.23 ERA with 55 strikeouts and a 5-4 record on the year. In his start against Lehigh on March 30, he pitched seven innings while allowing just three hits and no earned runs with nine strikeouts to earn Patriot League Pitcher of the Week honors.
Dvorak posted a 6-4 record and a 3.58 earned-run average during the regular season, and went 4-2 with a 2.89 ERA in league play. He totaled 76 strikeouts during 2019, the second-most by a Patriot League pitcher this year. His strikeout total currently ranks ninth in single-season Holy Cross history and is the highest total by a Crusader pitcher since 2012. He did not lose a contest from March 17 to April 22; he recorded 10-strikeout games on March 31 vs. Lehigh and on April 22 vs. Lafayette, and he helped shut out Navy on March 25 in an eight-inning, seven-hit outing, the first time Holy Cross has held the Midshipmen scoreless since 2013. He was named Patriot League Pitcher of the Week on March 26.
Blum batted .286 (22-for-77) in Patriot League play with five doubles, eight RBI and 18 walks, recording an on-base percentage of .434, which ranked seventh in the Patriot League. Blum reached base in 23 consecutive games between March 17 and April 22; overall this season, he hit .272 (37-for-136) with 10 doubles and 16 RBI, recording multi-hit games eight times this season.
Masel led the Crusaders at the plate in 2019 with a .319 batting average (61-for-191), 13 doubles, four triples, two home runs and 29 RBI. On the basepaths, he recorded a team-high 12 stolen bases. In league play, Masel batted .340 (34-for-100), with nine doubles, two triples and two home runs, recording a .530 slugging percentage, the sixth-highest in the league. He had 14 multi-hit games, including a pair of four-hit performances against Navy on April 6 and Lafayette on April 21. Masel is just the 43rd player in Patriot League history to be named All-League three times in his career.
Holy Cross most recently had four All-League selections in 2017. The Crusaders are the only team with multiple pitchers on the All-Patriot League first team this season; this is the first time Holy Cross has had two pitchers on the first team since 2015.
The Crusaders (21-30, 15-10 Patriot League) will host Army West Point in the semifinal round of the Patriot League Tournament beginning on Saturday, May 11. First pitch on Saturday is scheduled for 1 p.m. at Fitton Field.
2019 Patriot League Baseball Major Awards
Player of the Year: Christian Hodge, Navy, Sr., C
Pitcher of the Year: Noah Song, Navy, Sr., RHP
Rookie of the Year: Justin Johnson, Lafayette, Fr., SS
Defensive Player of the Year: Jacob Hurtubise, Army West Point, Jr., CF
Coach of the Year: Paul Kostacopoulos, Navy
2019 First-Team All-Patriot League Baseball Team*
SP: Noah Song, Navy, Sr.
SP: Liam Dvorak, Holy Cross, So.
SP: Daniel Burggraaf, Army West Point, Sr.
SP: Declan Cronin, Holy Cross, Sr.
RP: Trey Braithwaite, Navy, So.
C: Christian Hodge, Navy, Sr.
1B: Tony Gallo, Lehigh, Jr.
2B: Zach Biggers, Navy, Jr.
SS: Trey Martin, Army West Point, Sr.
SS: Justin Johnson, Lafayette, Fr.
3B: Anthony Giachin, Army West Point, So.
OF: Jacob Hurtubise, Army West Point, Jr.
OF: Trey Durrah, Lafayette, Jr.
OF: Tyler Wincig, Bucknell, Jr.
OF: Ryan Malloy, Lehigh, Sr.
DH: Evan Blum, Holy Cross, So.
*Four pitchers, two shortstops and four outfielders on the first team due to ties in the voting
2019 Second-Team All-Patriot League Baseball Team^
SP: Tyler Giovinco, Army West Point, Sr.
SP: Levi Stoudt, Lehigh, Jr.
RP: Cam Opp, Army West Point, Sr.
C: Jeff Shanfeldt, Lehigh, Sr.
1B: Zach Stevens, Navy, Fr.
2B: Ethan Stern, Lafayette, So.
3B: Spencer Rouse, Lafayette, Sr.
OF: Austin Masel, Holy Cross, Jr.
OF: Liam Lowery, Navy, Sr.
OF: JohnPaul Bell, Bucknell, Jr.
DH: Jeremiah Adams, Army West Point, Jr.
^Two starting pitchers and no shortstop on the second team due to additional players on the first team; three outfielders due to ties in voting on the second team
