Genovese, Harvey, Mejia Named to NJCBA All-State First Team
5/21/2012 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
JERSEY CITY, N.J. - Seton Hall's Mike Genovese (Livingston, N.J.), Ryan Harvey (Manalapan, N.J.) and Benny Mejia (Paterson, N.J.) were named to the New Jersey Collegiate Baseball Association (NJCBA) All-State First Team on Monday. Five other Pirates also earned NJCBA recognition.
Genovese earned Second Team honors last year, but is on the NJCBA's First Team at the utility player position this season. The multi-tooled junior is a standout hitter, pitcher and fielder. Batting primarily second in the Pirates' order, the second baseman has batted .269, while leading the team in runs scored, RBIs and walks. Genovese leads the BIG EAST with 18 sacrifice bunts. On the mound, the submarine specialist has made eight appearances and pitched to a 0.68 ERA. He has two wins and one save this season.
Harvey has been one of the most dominant pitchers in the BIG EAST this season. The right-hander has a record of 6-3 and leads all Seton Hall starters with a 2.86 ERA. Harvey has been named to the BIG EAST Weekly Honor Roll three times this season and earned NJCBA Pitcher of the Week honors on May 7. His 87 strikeouts rank fourth in the BIG EAST despite having four fewer starts than most of the league's starting pitchers. On May 5, Harvey went the distance on a two hitter at Georgetown while striking out nine Hoyas.
Mejia, a fifth-year senior, is having the best season of his career and has emerged as the Pirates' closer this season. His nine saves are second-most in the BIG EAST and his 28 appearances rank fourth in the conference. A dominant finisher, Mejia sported a 2.62 ERA this season and struck out 37 batters compared to just nine walks in 44.2 innings. On April 5, he earned a win in both games of a double-header against Notre Dame.
Jon Prosinski (Skillman, N.J.), Sal Annunziata (Bronx, N.Y.) and Will Walsh (New Milford, N.J.) were named to the NJCBA All-State Second Team.
Prosinski has been named to the BIG EAST Weekly Honor Roll four times this season and earned NJCBA Pitcher of the Week honors on April 16. The right-hander is tied for second in the BIG EAST in wins and eighth in strikeouts. Prosinski's eight wins and 88.2 innings pitched lead the Pirates.
Annunziata earned Second Team status as a designated hitter and has been a mainstay in the middle of the Pirates' order. The freshman has appeared in 48 games, making 45 starters, and is hitting .280 with a team second-best three home runs and 10 doubles.
Walsh has played in all but one game this season for Seton Hall and earns Second Team status as an outfielder. The versatile senior is hitting .280 and ranks either first or second on the team in runs, hits, triples, home runs, RBIs, total bases, walks, HBPs and stolen bases.
Freshmen Kyle Grimm (Bergenfield, N.J.) and Jose Lopez (Cranbury, N.J.) were named to the NJCBA All-Rookie Team.
The Pirates will return to the diamond on Wednesday, May 23, when they take on Rutgers in the first round of the 2012 BIG EAST Championship in Clearwater, Fla. First pitch is scheduled for 10:00 pm.
