2011 All-MEAC Baseball Team
NORFOLK, Va. – Norfolk State outfielder John Rasberry and third baseman Ryan Montgomery were named to the All-MEAC baseball first team, while pitcher Ryan VanAssche, first baseman Brandon Hairston and designated hitter James Taylor were named to the second team, the conference announced on Tuesday.
Rasberry, NSU's senior left fielder, ranked ninth in the MEAC and second on the team during the regular season with a .358 batting average. He had six doubles, two triples, three home runs and 30 runs batted in. He was also 11-of-12 in stolen base attempts and committed just one error in the outfield.
Montgomery, a sophomore, took over as the Spartans' starting third baseman one month into the season and made the most of his opportunity. He is third on the squad and 10th in the MEAC with a .356 batting average. He hit 10 doubles, tied for second on the team with three triples, and knocked in 24 runs in 39 games played. Montgomery batted .431 in NSU's 18 MEAC games.
VanAssche, a freshman left hander, was voted to the second team as a relief pitcher. Equally effective out of the bullpen or in a starting role, VanAssche leads the Spartans with six wins (6-6 record) and a 3.23 earned run average. He made 17 appearances, 10 in relief, and tossed one complete game. He is third in the conference in ERA and tied for third in wins.
Hairston, a senior first baseman, leads the Spartans with a .375 batting average, five home runs and is tied for the team-lead with 37 RBI. Hairston also hit 10 doubles and drew a team-high 35 walks (tied for third in the MEAC), reaching base at a .492 clip (second in the MEAC). Hairston ended the season with a flourish, batting a team-high .438 against MEAC opposition and belting a home run in each of the Spartans' last two regular-season games against Longwood.
Taylor established himself as a reliable lead-off man for the Spartans this season. The sophomore batted .333 with four doubles and 22 RBI and tied for second on the team with 34 runs scored. Taylor also ranked second on the team in both walks (28) and on-base percentage (.465), both of which placed him among the MEAC's top five. Taylor also had two-game winning hits against two MEAC opponents in the eighth inning or later, delivering winning RBI singles against both Delaware State and North Carolina A&T.
Delaware State's Scott Davis was named the MEAC Player of the Year. Bethune-Cookman's Scott Garner was named MEAC Pitcher and MEAC Rookie of the Year, and Wildcats' coach Mervyl Melendez was named Coach of the Year.
The fourth-seeded Spartans open play in the 2011 MEAC Tournament against No. 3 North Carolina A&T at 6 p.m. Wednesday at Jackie Robinson Ballpark in Daytona Beach, Fla.
