2010 Varsity Baseball Summary
Overall Record: 17-2
The 2010 Avon Old Farms baseball season was an excellent campaign that resulted in a 17-2 record and both the Colonial and Founders League Championships. This team was defined by impressive talent, a fiercely competitive attitude, and a commitment to sportsmanship.
The team was led by an outstanding trio of captains. Tim Kiene, Patrick Miller, and Cael Brockmeyer were all four-year students at Avon, and their collective contribution to the tradition of Avon baseball is impressive. Kiene, who is a professional prospect and is committed to attend the University of Maryland next fall, returned as the team’s most productive hitter. Kiene ranks among the best hitters to ever play for the Winged Beavers, and his senior year was special. He hit over .400 for the third straight year, and led the team in home runs and RBI. Miller finished his Avon career with a .306 batting average for the season, and played an excellent shortstop all year. He led the team in stolen bases and runs scored. He will take his impressive talents and leadership to Northwestern University next year as a scholarship player. Brockmeyer finished his career by continuing to develop his considerable talents. He was the best catcher in the league, an incredible leader, and his clutch hits were the difference in many games. He too has attracted the attention of professional scouts, and has accepted a scholarship to play at Cal State Bakersfield next season. The leadership and talent that the 2010 captains contributed defined this year’s team, and their input over the last four years is extraordinary.
The captains were complemented by other seniors, such as Joey Donino, Nate Witkowski, Ryan Grant, Greg Giamalis, Bryan Tatelman and Matt Coz. Donino is headed to Columbia, and was a two-way force as a powerful pitcher and hitter. He was undefeated on the mound, as his 90 mph fastball and sharp curve resulted in many victories, strikeouts, and a season ERA of 0.70. His walk-off homer against Hotchkiss and many clutch hits helped the team. Witkowski is a multi-talented baseball player who simply did it all for the team in 2010. He was 4-0 on the mound as a pitcher, and his ability to play both the infield and the outfield made the team better. If it involves baseball, Nate can do it with excellence. His walk-off grand slam homer against Loomis, his walk-off hit against Trinity-Pawling, and key home runs against Choate and Taft were all “difference makers.” Because of his many contributions to the team in so many areas, he earned the team’s Most Valuable Player award. He will take his impressive talents to Bentley College next year. Grant, who is headed to Wheaton, earned a share of Avon’s Pitcher of the Year award; he pitched well each time out, and limited batters to just a .150 average against him. He nearly no-hit Deerfield and his start against Salisbury was outstanding. He had significantly more strikeouts than innings pitched, and his 1.75 ERA for the season was impressive. Greg Giamalis also had an outstanding year, hitting .375 and playing excellent defense. Put simply, Greg is a tremendous hitter. He earned many starts throughout the season, but his ability to hit was often a difference-maker as he was asked to do one of the toughest jobs in baseball – get a big hit in a clutch situation as a pinch hitter. His production and awesome attitude will be missed by the program. Tatleman is headed to Stony Brook on a scholarship and had an excellent year in his own right. An experienced short-stop before coming to Avon, he learned how to play third base this year, and by the end of the season was the best in the league at the position. His game-tying homer and then game-winning hit in the final innings at Taft proved to be decisive in Avon’s most competitive game. He finished the year batting .375 and became a more versatile player this season. Matt Coz will be missed too, as he developed into an excellent outfielder. His leadership and attitude were second to none as he finished a successful career in the program.
The seniors were supported by an impressive group of underclassmen. Cam Hatch proved to be a staff ace, and pitched in most of Avon’s “big games.” He led the team in wins and innings pitched, and was among the staff leaders in strikeouts and ERA. His talent and competitive attitude were enormous reasons for the team’s success. Andrew Coffey’s excellent speed, athleticism, and competitive nature helped to drive the team. He started at second base most games, and enjoyed an excellent season with many stolen bases, hits, and runs scored. Mike Gibbons did an excellent job too, as both a pitcher (4-0 on the season) and as an offensive player. Adam Spracklin made a similar contribution as a pitcher and often as a starting outfielder. His powerful arm led to wins against Loomis, Choate, and Suffield. Max Weiner earned many starts in the outfield throughout the season and always seemed to be a factor in the team’s success. He was close to the team lead in runs scored and always seemed to get on base when the team needed to rally. He finished the season with a .313 batting average. Connor Doyle’s offensive production was significant, as was his ability to provide excellent defense as a catcher and an outfielder. The team will rely on Connor’s remarkable ability and leadership in 2011. Josh LaJoie made the team as a sophomore and proved to be a productive hitter and a player able to fill any position in the infield. The program certainly will expect big things from him in the future because of his talent and competitive attitude. Darnell Davis made the team after an excellent trip in Florida, and continued to develop as an offensive player throughout the season while always providing strong defense in the outfield. He also served the team well with his speed and athleticism as the primary pinch runner and was pivotal in that role in the late-inning win against Trinity-Pawling.
The program is also expecting significant contributions from players like Mitch Leeds, Everett Walsh, Dom DiAntonio, Jake Farkas, and Owen Solberg in the future.
The 2010 season was a success by any measure. The record, the championships, the improvement, the competitive attitude, the college placement of the seniors, and perhaps most importantly, the character that this team demonstrated were extraordinary. Congratulations to the players on making 2010 one of the best seasons ever for the Avon Old Farms program.
Awards:
- Most Outstanding Player: Tim Kiene
- Most Valuable Player: Nate Witkowski
- Most Improved Player: Greg Giamalis
- Pitchers of the Year: Cam Hatch and Ryan Grant
- Juan Comella Award for Inspired Play and Dedication to Baseball: Patrick Miller and Cael Brockmeyer
All League Selections:
- Tim Kiene
- Cael Brockmeyer
- Joey Donino
- Nate Witkowski
- Bryan Tatelman
- Cam Hatch
