RICHMOND, Va. – Following a fourth-place finish in its first season as a member of the Colonial Athletic Association, five members of the Elon Phoenix baseball squad earned all-league honors as announced by the conference on Tuesday, May 19.
Collecting first-team distinction were both outfielder Ryan Cooper and utility player Casey Jones. Shortstop Andy Moore earned both second-team all-league and CAA All-Academic Team recognition. Designated hitter Chris King was a third-team all-conference performer and right-handed pitcher Nick Beaulac was named to the league’s all-rookie squad.
Cooper, a senior from Owensville, Mo., led Elon and ranked third in the CAA with a .375 batting average. He also scored a team-high 43 runs and finished the regular season with 39 RBI. Of Cooper’s team-leading 72 hits, 21 went for extra bases (13 doubles, two triples and six home runs) as he slugged .557 to rank eighth in the league. Cooper’s .414 batting average in CAA games was the best of any player in the league and his 41 hits in conference play tied for first. Cooper is one of two players to start every game in each of the past two seasons.
Jones, a senior from Midlothian, Va., hit .311 with a team-best 14 doubles in 2015. He added one triple and six homers while scoring 42 runs and driving in another 42. He was successful on eight of his nine stolen base attempts during the regular season. Jones also hit .311 in CAA play, scoring 20 runs and driving in 29 with the aid of eight doubles and five homers. The 29 CAA RBI tied for third in the league. Jones also started every game over the past two years.
Moore, a senior from Chandler, Ariz., hit .302 with 34 runs scored, five doubles, one triple and 18 RBI in 49 games. He tied for the team lead with 34 walks and had a .439 on-base percentage. In CAA contests, Moore batted .342 with 18 runs scored, two doubles, one triple and 14 RBI. His .480 OBP in league games rated third and his 20 walks led the league in conference play. Moore also earned CAA All-Academic Team honors and sports a 3.54 GPA as an exercise science major.
King, a senior from Portsmouth, R.I., ranks among the national leaders with 14 home runs and 51 RBI this season. In 50 games, King has scored 41 runs and posted a .552 slugging percentage. His homers are tied for the most in the CAA and his slugging percentage rates ninth in the conference. King belted 10 of his home runs in league games, the second-most in conference play of anyone in the league.
Beaulac, a sophomore from Reston, Va., found himself as Elon’s Friday starter late in the year. He has made 20 appearances with four starts in his rookie campaign, going 5-2 with a 4.53 ERA. Beaulac has struck out 58 hitters in 47.2 innings, an average of 11.0 strikeouts per nine innings. Overall, he has held opponents to a .240 batting average. All four of his starts have come in CAA play where he has made 10 appearances. Beaulac is 4-2 with a 3.53 ERA in league play. He has held CAA hitters to a .226 batting average, the fifth lowest in the conference. He has struck out 41 in 35.2 innings in CAA action, an average of 10.3 strikeouts per nine innings.
Elon opens the CAA Tournament on Wednesday, May 20, with a 12 p.m. contest against Delaware.
2015 All-CAA Baseball Teams
First Team
C – Ryan Hissey, William & Mary
1B – Charley Gould, William & Mary
2B – Blake Butler, College of Charleston
SS – Chad Carroll, James Madison
3B – Carl Wise, College of Charleston
OF – Ryan Cooper, Elon
OF – Steven Linkous, UNCW
OF – Zach Shields, UNCW
UT – Casey Jones, Elon
DH – Chris Henze, Towson
SP – Taylor Clarke, College of Charleston
SP – Brandon Glazer, College of Charleston
RP – Jordan Ramsey, UNCW
CAA Player of the Year – Blake Butler, College of Charleston
CAA Pitcher of the Year – Taylor Clarke, College of Charleston
CAA Defensive Player of the Year – Blake Butler, College of Charleston
CAA Rookie of the Year – Kyle McPherson, James Madison
CAA Coach of the Year – Monte Lee, College of Charleston
Second Team
C – Gavin Stupienski, UNCW
1B – Nick Pappas, College of Charleston
2B – Zach Lopes, Delaware
SS – Andy Moore, Elon
3B – Terence Connelly, UNCW
OF – Norm Donkin, Delaware
OF – Casey Golden, UNCW
OF – Alex Pastorius, College of Charleston
UT – Devin White, William & Mary
DH – Bradley Jones, College of Charleston
SP – Nick Brown, William & Mary
SP – Dustin Hunt, Northeastern
RP – Carter Love, College of Charleston
Third Team
C – Erven Roper, College of Charleston
1B – Rob Fonseca, Northeastern
2B – Kyle McPherson, James Madison
SS – Kennard McDowell, UNCW
3B – Willie Shaw, William & Mary
OF – Richie Blosser, Towson
OF – Michael Foster, Northeastern
OF – Joe Giacchino, Delaware
UT – Keith Kelly, Northeastern
DH – Chris King, Elon
SP – Nick Berger, Northeastern
SP – Adam Davis, Delaware
RP – Aaron Civale, Northeastern
CAA All-Rookie Team
P – Nick Beaulac, Elon
OF – Ryan Brown, College of Charleston
OF – Steven Foster, Hofstra
OF – Mark Grunberg, Towson
INF – Cullen Large, William & Mary
P – Carter Love, College of Charleston
P – Austin Magestro, UNCW
P – Ron Marinaccio, Delaware
2B – Kyle McPherson, James Madison
3B – Diaz Nardo, Delaware
CAA All-Academic Team
P – Chris Acker, Towson
P – Aaron Civale, Northeastern
P – Taylor Clarke, College of Charleston
P – Jason Inghram, William & Mary
INF – David Leiderman, Hofstra
OF/C – Greg Olenski, Delaware
SS – Andy Moore, Elon
P – Jordan Ramsey, UNCW
UT – Josh Wyatt, James Madison