Buzzards Bay, MA --- A record five Worcester State baseball teammates have been selected to the Massachusetts State College Athletic Conference (MASCAC) baseball first-team and senior Matt Hart (N. Easton, MA-OF) was named MASCAC Player of the Year in league coaches this past week.
The other honoree's included sophomore Johno Hinkell (N. Adams, MA) along with junior teammates Mike Borowiec (Spencer, MA-RHP), Joey Lucier (Brockton, MA-RHP) and Nick Caparell (N. Attleboro, MA-OF).
Hart had a sensational senior-year campaign as he helped pace the Lancers (29-14) to capture their seventh MASCAC regular season championship with a 13-1 record in conference play. Hart led the MASCAC in six statistical categories which include batting average (.412), hits (63), runs (53), homers (14), on base percentage (.492) and slugging (.810). Hart was also tied for third with 26 steals and his 34 runs batted in were ninth in the conference.
Through this past weekend, Hart is currently ninth in the NCAA Division III in total bases, 11th in homers and 25th in slugging. Hart, the team's lead-off hitter, reached base safely 43 times to start off an inning out of 68 attempts which includes 21 times to start a game. Hart also hammered five lead-off homers in 13 MASCAC contests.
Caparell had a breakout season for the Lancers as he batted .377 with seven homers, 42 RBIs, 49 runs scored while he also added 12 two-baggers. Caparell was second in the MASCAC in hits (55), runs, doubles and total bases (59) while he was also third in runs driven in, fourth in slugging (.610) and sixth in on base percentage (.469).
Hinkell started 31 of 42 games as the team's full-time backstop while he also played some time as the designated hitter. Hinkell batted .350 with three homers, 13 RBIs and 21 runs scored. In MASCAC play, Hinkell had the second highest fielding percentage (.989) with one error while he also caught eight men trying to steal during the course of the season. In conference play, Hinkell also batted .405 with eight runs, two dingers and eight runs batted in.
Borowiec and Luicer helped pace the Lancers this season as standout starting pitchers in the MASCAC. The squad topped the conference in ERA and its 3.79 average is also 23rd in the nation.
Borowiec notched a 5-1 record on the season as he also spotted a 2.77 ERA in 48.2 innings with 33 strikeouts along with two complete games and a shutout. Lucier, a first-team selection last year, tallied a 2-3 record with two saves in 45 innings while he also fanned 31. Borowiec also impressed as held opponents to a .232 average with runners on base. Both pitchers led the MASCAC as starters in earned runs allowed with 15.
Worcester State makes its fifth ECAC appearance as they look to capture their first ever New England championship after losing in the title game in 2001 and 1999. Guided by 14th year head coach Dirk Baker, the Lancers will face-off against seeded Fitchburg State at 12:30 on Saturday. If WSC wins they will take on the winner of the WPI-Becker game which starts at 9 AM. The championship will be at 4 PM between the two highest remaining seeds.