Building on their early season success, four members of the Marist baseball team have been chosen to play in their respective league's All-Star Games. In the New England Collegiate Baseball League, seniors Mike Orefice, Zach Shank and Brett Houseal, of the Danbury Westerners of the New England Collegiate Baseball League participated in the league's All-Star Game on July 22. Joining the trio is fellow senior Eric Helmrich, who played in the Perfect Game Collegiate Baseball League All-Star Game on July 24 representing the Mohawk Valley DiamondDawgs.
The leader of Danbury's pitching staff, Houseal has thrown a team-high 58.2 innings in his eight appearances so far this summer. He also leads his squad with six wins, a 2.61 ERA and 33 strikeouts. His six wins places him atop the NECBL leaderboard in that category.
The Westerners' leading RBI producer, Orefice has appeared in all 34 of his team's games and driven in 36 runs. His success has carried over into more statistical categories than just RBIs as he is first on the team in extra-base hits with 18 (11 doubles and seven home runs), and second on the team with a .323 batting average.
Shank has proven to be an asset to the Westerners this summer as he has played in all 34 games and is posting a .318 batting. Besides a strong batting average, Shank has hit four home runs, 10 doubles and driven in 22 runs. He also leads the team and is tied for third overall in the league with 12 stolen bases.
Spending his summer playing in PGCBL, Helmrich earned an All-Star nod as he leads Mohawk Valley with eight home runs and 41 RBIs. In 36 games, he has 34 hits and a .272 batting average.
In the NECBL All-Star Game, the trio of Red Foxes performed well and came out on the winning side, 11-6. Houseal earn the win for the West, as he pitched a hitless fourth inning, with one walk and two strikeouts. Both Orefice and Shank received three plate appearances and had a hit. The starting shortstop Shank singled in the second inning and came around to score on a wild pitch, while Orefice came off the bench in the sixth inning and promptly doubled in his first at bat, and later scored.
Prior to the game, Shank took home a scouting award as he won the outfield throwing competition.
In the PGCBL All-Star Game, Helmrich came off the bench and played the final six defensive innings at first base for Team Ebright. Although he was 0-for-2 at the plate, he registered five putouts and an assist in the field.
