ERIE, Pa. - The Penn State Behrend baseball team announced their team awards Friday. During the 2015 season, the Lions achieved a record of 28-12-1 and captured the program's fifth Eastern Collegiate Athletic Conference (ECAC) Championship.
"The 2015 season was outstanding. Our players worked really well together and it culminated with the ECAC Championship on our home field. Several of our players have earned and deserve this individual recognition. It will serve as a terrific springboard into the summer and fall seasons." said Head Coach Paul Benim.
Brian Bohman (Erie, PA/McDowell) was awarded the team's Most Valuable Player after an impressive sophomore season. A Second Team All-Conference selection, Bohman hit .368 and led the team with 11 doubles, four homeruns and 35 RBI's. His 36 runs were tied for the most on the squad and his 12 steals were one less than the team leader.
The Most Improved Player Award went to Tommy Kocur (Erie, PA/McDowell). Kocur slashed .261 in 28 games adding four doubles, one triple, one homerun and 13 RBI's. His best performance came on April 23 at Medaille when he went 5-for-9 from the plate with five RBI's in the doubleheader.
David Boehme (Venetia, PA/Seton-La Salle) and Alex Hajduk (Cranberry Township, PA/Seneca Valley) split the team's Rookie of the Year Award. Boehme contributed both in the lineup and on the mound. He recorded 17 RBI's with five doubles and a homer and notched a 2-2 record in 19 innings pitched on the hill. Hajduk was an integral part of the pitching staff with and was undefeated with a 3-0 record. His 2.82 ERA was third on the team and he was fourth on the staff with 44.2 innings pitched.
Jack Herzing (St. Marys, PA/Elk County Catholic) was tabbed as the team's Most Valuable Pitcher. Herzing had a tremendous season on the mound posting an 8-1 record and garnered 2015 American Baseball Coaches Association (ABCA)/Rawlings NCAA Division III Third-Team All-Region honors. His 77 strikeouts were tops in the Allegheny Mountain Collegiate Conference (AMCC) and was complemented with a 2.31 ERA in 58.1 innings of work.
The Golden Glove Award was given to Ryan Finnegan (Fombell, PA/Riverside). Finnegan was selected to the Second Team All-AMCC after hitting .347 in 33 games. He also chipped in 17 RBI's.
Taylor Overby (Nazareth, PA/Bethlehem Catholic) was awarded the Herb Lauffer Leadership and Scholarship Award while Tylor Williams (Atlantic, PA/Conneaut Lake) was selected as the Spirit and Hustle Award winner. Both seniors helped lead the team and were instrumental to the success of the 2015 season.
