Siena’s Drpich selected to ABCA/Rawlings All-Northeast region team
LOUDONVILLE– Joe Drpich continues to rack up the accolades following a stellar 2017 season. The Siena Baseball junior first baseman has been named an ABCA/Rawlings All-Northeast Region First Team selection. The South Salem, New York native was the lone MAAC player to earn First Team honors, and was one of just three conference standouts to receive All-Region acclaim overall.
Drpich becomes just the third player in program history to secure ABCA/Rawlings First Team All-Region honors, joining Mike Fish (2013) and Dan Paolini (2011) who were both later named Third Team All-Americans by the organization. By virtue of his First Team selection, Drpich is now automatically eligible for ABCA/Rawlings All-America honors which will be announced June 17.
Previously named both a First Team All-MAAC selection and an ECAC First Team All-Star, Drpich led the MAAC with a whopping .577 slugging percentage this spring. He ranked second in the conference in both home runs (10) and RBI (46), was tied for third in total bases (105), and stood fifth in average (.346). In 24 MAAC contests, Drpich led the league in average (.419), hits (39), total bases (67) and slugging percentage (.720), while ranking second in both home runs (six) and RBI (29). Overall, Drpich recorded both a 20-game on-base and a 14-game hitting streak this season, and led the Saints with 12 multiple RBI performances.
Drpich and the Saints recently concluded their 2017 season with a final overall record of 20-28-2, including an 11-13 MAAC mark. Drpich is amongst eight members of a potent Siena lineup forecasted to return to the diamond in 2018.
About the American Baseball Coaches Association
The Chair of the ABCA NCAA Div. I All-America & Coach of the Year Committee is Dean Ehehalt of Monmouth University. Also on the committee are Mike Stone of UMass, Brian O’Connor of the University of Virginia, Butch Thompson of Auburn University, Steve Jaksa of Central Michigan University, Dan Heefner of Dallas Baptist University, Tommy Raffo of Arkansas State University and George Horton of the University of Oregon.
The ABCA, founded in 1945, is the primary professional organization for baseball coaches at the amateur level. Its over 8,000 members represent all 50 states and 25 countries. Since its initial meeting of 27 college baseball coaches in June 1945, Association membership has broadened to include eight divisions: NCAA Division I, II and III, NAIA, NJCAA, Pacific Association Division, High School and Youth.
-Mike Demos/Siena Athletics
