University of Massachusets Athletics
UMass Baseball Announces Captains, 2015 Team Awards
October 20, 2015 | Baseball
AMHERST, Mass. - Massachusetts baseball head coach Mike Stone announced the team's 2015 award winners at the program's annual golf outing last Friday. In addition, senior catcher/first baseman John Jennings and pitcher Ben Panunzio have been named captains for the 2016 campaign.
“Ben and John bring passion and commitment to UMass Baseball and will be instrumental in the success of the 2016 ball club,” said Stone. “They both have improved tremendously as players and continue to stay committed to both personal and team development.”
In addition to being tabbed as team co-captain, Panunzio was given the Coaches Award for Most Improved Player of 2015 in recognition of his breakout junior campaign. Over 14 appearances this past spring, Panunzio logged a team-leading 1.64 ERA in 22 innings of work and struck out 14 batters over the course of the season with one save and a record of 1-1.
In the Beanpot Championship at Fenway Park, Panunzio tossed four scoreless innings out of the bullpen and struck out a career-high six batters in that outing.
Battling injury, Jennings saw action in just 18 contests in 2015, splitting time between first base and catcher. As a sophomore he was the was named the team's Most Improved Player in 2014 after hitting .264 with nine doubles and 11 RBI in 2014.
Kyle Adie was selected as the team's 2015 MVP. The 2015 graduate led the Minutemen in eight offensive categories last season, including batting average (.322), slugging percentage (.421) and hits (55), starting all 43 games as the squad's centerfielder.
Adie’s classmates Rob McLam and Adam Picard were each given the Dennis DellaPiana Memorial Award for exemplifying courage, determination, and sportsmanship. First instituted in May of 1966, the award honors the memory of Dennis DellaPiana, who was truly a great student-athlete at the University of Massachusetts in the mid 1960's, but died in April of 1966 during his senior year after a long battle with Hodgkin's disease. His courage, determination and sportsmanship were outstanding.
Both fifth-year seniors in 2015, McLam and Picard hit .294 and .253, respectively. McLam drove in 16 RBI with six doubles, two triples and 18 runs scored over 36 games, while Picard saw action in all 43 contest with 26 RBI, nine doubles, four home runs and 23 runs scored.