5 Dukes
earn Postseason Awards; Adams named Player of the Year
by: Michael Radomski
(PITTSFIELD, Mass.) – Four
Pittsfield Dukes players and Manager Mike Marron received NECBL
postseason awards on Friday night.
First baseman/ catcher Matt Adams (Slippery Rock) was named the 2008
Rick Ligi Player of the Year, closer Zach Anderson (Buffalo) won the
top reliever award and coach Mike Marron was named the NECBL Manager
of the Year.
Adams finished the regular season in the top five of nine different
statistical categories including batting average, home runs, and
runs batted in. He had a .351 average (4th) along with 7 home runs
(3rd) and 37 RBIs (2nd). Adams also tied Devery Van de Keere of the
North Adams SteepleCats (2006) with a league record 16 doubles on
the season. The player of the year honor is the highest ever
bestowed on a Dukes player, and Adams was named to the NECBL
All-First team on Friday as well.
Anderson set an NECBL record with a 0.33 earned run average as he
led all NECBL relievers and starters.The Dukes closer had seven
saves for Pittsfield and only allowed one earned run as the team
made its first ever playoff appearance. Anderson had 27 strikeouts
in 27 innings pitched and opponents only hit .165 against him. He
was also named to the All-NECBL 2nd team.
Mike Marron returned to manage the Dukes for his second season and
took the team to new all-time highs. Pittsfield spent many days in
first place and advanced to the Southern Division Championship
Series for the first time. Along with assistant coaches Steve
Malinowski and Pete Nickerson, Mike coached the Dukes to 1st in
batting average (2.81) and 3rd in earned run average (3.24). This is
the first time a Dukes coach has been named the Manager of the Year.
Outfielder Chris Edmondson (Le Moyne) and shortstop Jake Rosenbeck
(Buffalo) also made All-NECBL honors as well. Edmondson made 1st
team honors finishing the season second on the team with a .339
batting average with 4 home runs and 28 RBIs. The Dukes leftfielder
finished 2nd in the league with 32 runs, 56 hits, and 4 triples as
well. For Pittsfield, Rosenbeck made 2nd team honors hitting third
on the Dukes with a .329 average and 26 runs batted in. The Dukes
shortstop was clutch with runners in scoring position (.373) and hit
exceptionally well with a runner on third base and less than two
outs (.727).
