Two Baseball Players Earn Postseason League Honors

Senior Simon Kudernatsch and rookie Sean Newcomb rounded out the 2012 baseball season by being named to America East Conference postseason teams.

Kudernatsch closes out his career with an All-Conference Second Team distinction, while Newcomb begins his collegiate career with an All-Rookie distinction.

The honor for Kudernatsch is the second in his career, as he was also an All-Rookie selection during his inaugural season in 2008. This past year, Kudernatsch led the Hawks with a .352 batting average, scattering a team-best 63 hits while slugging an impressive .514. The third baseman also put up team-high numbers in RBI (38) and runs scored (35). The native of the Czech Republic spread 14 doubles, three triple and three home runs over the 50 games he played and started in. He also led the Hawks on the base paths with 10 steals in 13 attempts and sacrificed himself six times.

Despite suffering a mid-season injury that ended his rookie campaign, Newcomb led the Hawks with a 4.17 earned run average over 45.1 innings of work. The native of Middleboro, Mass., allowed 32 runs, 21 of them earned, while giving up 37 total hits. He was also second on the team with 45 strikeouts, while allowing just four extra base hits. Newcomb made nine total appearances, all starts, and finished with a 2-4 overall record. The rookie lefthander also finished one complete game which was also recorded as the Hawks’ first Division I no-hitter. The 3-0 clean slate for Newcomb came against Nutmeg State rival Yale.

Under first-year head coach Justin Blood, the Hawks finished with a 16-40 overall record and a mark of 7-17 in America East Conference action. The 16 total victories and the seven league wins are the most since the 2008 season. Among the leading returners for 2013 will be sophomore catcher James Alfonso and sophomore pitcher and designate hitter Brian Hunter. The pair finished third and fourth, respectively, overall with .290 and .288 batting averages. Hunter also made 16 appearances on the mound finishing with a 3-4 record and a pair of saves, while leading the team with 55 strikeouts.