Five Trinity Players Make All-NESCAC Baseball Squad

Five Trinity Players Make
All-NESCAC Baseball Squad

Bayliss Names League Pitcher of the Year

Hartford, Conn., May 28 - Trinity College junior right-hander Jonah Bayliss (Williamstown, Mass.) was named as the 2002 New England Small College Athletic Conference (NESCAC) Baseball Pitcher of the Year and to the All- NESCAC First Team. Trinity senior co-captains Andrew Freimuth (Bristol, Conn.) and Greg Spanos (Auburn, Mass.) and junior Kurt Piantek (Wallingford, Conn.) were also each selected to the 2002 All-New England Small College Athletic Conference (NESCAC) Baseball First Team, while Bantam freshman Andrew Fries (Dublin, Ohio) graced the All-NESCAC Second Team.

2002 NESCAC Pitcher of the Year Jonah Bayliss

The Trinity baseball squad, coached by Bill Decker (12th season, 241-130) finished with a best-ever 26-10 overall record and an 8-4 mark in the New England Small College Athletic Conference (NESCAC) East Division. The Bantams qualified for the NESCAC Championship Tournament and led Tufts in the final game, 4-2, in the fifth inning before it was called due to rain.

Bayliss, projected to be taken in the upcoming Major League Baseball draft, appeared in 10 games (nine starts) on the mound with a team-best 8-1 record. Bayliss led Trinity in complete games (5), shutouts (tied for team-lead with 2), innings pitched (66.2), and strikeouts (84) with a 2.43 ERA. He tossed a no-hitter against Bates with 14 strikeouts and earned the win in relief against Tufts in the NESCAC Championship Tournament on one day's rest this spring.

Freimuth played in 35 games (34 starts) at shortstop for Trinity, and batted .311 (42-for-135) with a team-high seven stolen bases, 32 runs, 10 doubles, four homers, and 29 RBI. A four-time All-NESCAC selection, All-New England in 2000 and 2001, and All-Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC) last spring, Freimuth hit a game-winning, three-run homer to give Trinity an extra-inning win over Wesleyan in the NESCAC Championship Tournament this spring.

Freimuth finished his career with 197 hits (new Trinity career record) in 533 at-bats (new Trinity career record) for a .370 batting average (10th-best all-time). He notched 139 runs (new Trinity career record), 51 doubles (new Trinity career record), seven triples (tied Trinity career record), 17 home runs, 143 RBI (new Trinity career record), 313 total bases (new Trinity career record), 22 stolen bases, 342 assists (new Trinity career record), and 55 double plays (new Trinity record) in four years.

Spanos started all 36 games, mostly in centerfield for Trinity, moving to the position after two seasons as the Trinity second baseman. Spanos batted .336 (50-for-149) with a team-high 14 doubles, and 33 runs, one homer, 21 RBI, and six steals. Also a right-hander pitcher, Spanos made six starts this spring, posting a 4-2 record with two complete games and 33 strikeouts and a 5.11 ERA in 37.0 innings pitched. He is a two-time, All-NESCAC selection and a All-New England selection.

Spanos finished his career with 158 hits in 452 at-bats for a .350 batting average. He notched 119 runs, 42 doubles, five triples, nine home runs, 105 RBI, and 233 total bases. Spanos set a new Bantam record for doubles with 18 in 2001. On the mound, Spanos totaled 122 inning pitched with 63 walks and 93 strikeouts for a 4.20 ERA and an 11-6 record in 21 appearances (18 starts) in his collegiate career.

Piantek started all 36 games at second and first base for Trinity, and batted .371 (52-for-135). He posted team-highs in hits, runs (38), home runs (12 was a new Trinity season record), RBI (52 was a new Trinity season record), and total bases (99 was a new Trinity season record), along with 11 doubles. Fries played in 26 games (21 starts), mostly at catcher, for Trinity, and batted .434 (36-for-83) with 19 runs, six doubles, five home runs, and 26 RBI.