FALCONE; MAURO HIGHLIGHT CUNYAC ALL-STAR LINEUP

The City University of New York Athletic Conference has announced its 2014 Baseball All-Stars, and there was certainly a Staten Island flavor to the unit. CSI sophomore hurler Chris Falcone walked away with the conference’s Pitcher of the Year award, while skipper Michael Mauro bagged Coach of the Year honors. Alongside the two yearly winners, CSI boasted a total of six first- and second-team all-star selections, making the Dolphins the most decorated CUNYAC baseball team.

Falcone had an almost flawless year on the hill for the Dolphins. As a sophomore transfer, Falcone blazed the trail for a 7-1 overall record, complete with a 2.03 ERA. The southpaw posted four complete games and three shutouts, fanning 75 batters in 53.1 innings pitched. Falcone allowed just 12 earned runs all season, and opponents batted just 2.04 against him. In the CUNYAC Tournament, Falcone tossed a perfect game through six innings against John Jay College before giving way to the bullpen in an eventual 8-5 win.

For Mauro, the head coach capped another successful season, complete with a CUNYAC Regular Season Championship. The Dolphins posted 9 straight conference wins to secure the title. What’s more impressive has been the youth development for the squad. A total of 15 players played during the CUNYAC Championship for the Dolphins, with 13 comprised of freshman and sophomore talent. The Dolphins also defended their home field well, going 14-5 at home this season.

Joe Palmeri, John Baggs, and Greg Manassa were all named to the CUNYAC first-team. Palmeri, an obvious choice, led CSI in hitting at .396, leading the team in hits (40), doubles (12), and walks (17). Manassa had a torrid start to the season, and finished with a .365 batting average complete with 17 RBI and 17 runs scored. Baggs did his work at the dish and on the hill. He batted .309 at the plate and tied for the team lead with 20 RBI and three triples, while logging 8.1 innings on the mound. All three first-team all-star selections are sophomores, with arguably their best baseball still ahead of them.

Second-team all-star selections were gained for Nick Delprete, Will DiFede, and Mike Fitzpatrick. The only upperclassman of the bunch, DiFede batted a healthy .325, posting 13 RBI, 18 runs scored, and a team-high 15 stolen bags. Delprete, a freshman, posted a solid .253 batting average with six thefts, and was a solid glove entrenched at second base. Fitzpatrick, a sophomore, posted a very healthy 2014, going 3-2 on the hill in six starts with a 2.32 ERA. He logged 42.2 innings pitched; fanning 24 batters and opponents batted just .234 against him.

CUNYAC Player of the Year was awarded to CCNY’s Gabriel Pena, with teammate Adrian Pena awarded Rookie of the Year honors. A complete breakdown of CUNYAC Baseball All-Star selections is below.