FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
D3BASEBALL.COM ALL-AMERICA TEAM
D3BASEBALL.COM ALL-REGION TEAM
Chant one of seven GNAC student-athletes
to collect D3Baseball All-Region honors
Brady Chant of the Suffolk baseball team became the second-ever student-athlete for the Rams' baseball program to earn D3Baseball.com All-America status with the junior centerfielder earning an honorable mention nod, the organization announced Thursday.
Chant joins Bobby Barrett '09 as the one of just two Rams to collect a spot on the D3Basebasell.com All-America team with Chant receiving the recognition in the 11th annual edition out of more than 800 players submitted. The Warwick, Rhode Island, product is the lone representative from the Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) and one of just four New England players to receive the accolade.
Chant was one of three Rams and seven GNAC players overall named to the D3Baseball.com All-Region New England Team, joining Suffolk teammates Matt Brenner and Chuck Gibson. From Saint Joseph's College of Maine, senior third baseman Taylor Black earned First Team honors while senior designated hitter Jameson Collins and junior reliever Josh Partridge are listed on the Third Team. Lasell College senior shortstop/pitcher Hector Coscione also earned his second postseason honor on Tuesday morning as he was named to the D3baseball.com All-New England Third Team as a utility player.
The first-team all-region honoree from D3Baseball.com and the New England Intercollegiate Baseball Association (NEIBA) in conjunction with the American Baseball Coaches Association (ABCA) finished the season with a .361 batting average, leading the nation in triples and triples per game with four jacks in 191 trips to the dish. The 12 triples not only set a new Suffolk single-season record, but rewrote the Rams' career annals with 22 triples throughout his three-years in blue-and-gold, a number that also sits atop NCAA Division III. Thanks to Chant's record setting ways, he amassed 118 total bases that included his 12 triples with 13 doubles, and four balls over the fence on 69 hits this season. His total bases lead the way in New England and land 10th in the nation, while his hits rank third in the region and 35th in the country. The numbers are also present on Suffolk's single-season list with his hits and total bases sitting second thanks to the most plate appearances by a Ram in a single campaign. The GNAC Outfield Gold Glove recipient paced Suffolk in nearly every offensive category including runs (47), batting average (.361), slugging percentage (.618), doubles (13), triples (13), homeruns (4) and stolen bases (17) to go along with a .978 percentage in the field. Chant was named a first-team all-conference selection by the GNAC and earned a spot on the GNAC All-Tournament Team.
Chant, who was voted a captain by his teammates prior to the first pitch of 2017, helped lead the Rams to one of its most successful seasons in the program's 70-year history. The Rams, who put together the best league ledger (12-2) under Anthony Del Prete, the GNAC Trophy for the third straight season to punch the squad's third consecutive trip to the NCAA Tournament marking the first-time in program history the blue-and-gold danced in three straight seasons. At its seventh overall appearance in the regional tournament, Suffolk found itself in the winner's bracket for the first time with a 4-0 shutout over #22/17 St. John Fisher May 18. The triumph also marked multiple firsts for Suffolk with the first-ever NCAA Tournament win under three-year Del Prete as well as the first shutout by Suffolk at the tournament. A day later Suffolk produced its second straight shutout, a 1-0, 11-inning walk-off win over #25 Arcadia to secure its spot in Championship Sunday. Chant and the Rams' thrilling season came to an end, however, falling to eventual regional winner #17/19 UMass Boston before being sent home by fifth-seeded Babson to complete its thrilling season 28-17 overall.
Black claims First Team honors after hitting .417 (53-127) with 37 runs, 12 doubles, four triples, four home runs, 44 RBI, and four stolen bases during his final collegiate campaign. He paced the Monks in runs, hits, doubles, triples, RBI (tie), total bases (85), slugging (.669), and sacrifice hits (11) and was second on the team in home runs and OBP (.486). Black was also named as the 2017 Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) Player of the Year and collected First Team All-GNAC for the third-consecutive season this spring.
A four-year starter, Black posted a .339 (167-492) career batting average with 127 runs, 28 doubles, five triples, eight home runs, 91 RBI, and 24 stolen bases in 155 games. He posted a .465 slugging percentage with a .440 OBP and capped his career as the Monks' all-time hit-by-pitch leader (43).
Collins, also a 2017 First Team All-GNAC selection, is listed on the Third Team after hitting .326 (44-135) with 32 runs, nine doubles, eight home runs, and 44 RBI in 38 starts this spring. He led the team in homers and RBI (tie) while slugging .600 with a .364 OBP during his senior campaign.
Partridge picks up Third Team All-New England honors after posting a 1.61 ERA with a 6-2 record and four saves across 21 appearances during his junior season. The junior southpaw fanned 48 batters while allowing just 11 walks and 32 hits in 44.2 innings and held opponents to a .200 (32-160) batting average this spring.
The 2017 season marks the sixth year that D3baseball.com has named All-Region teams, with 800 players nominated. The ballot was then made available to SIDs, who voted for a predetermined number of players in their region, as well as D3baseball.com staff and contributors. The 2017 season marks the sixth year that D3baseball.com has named All-Region teams, with 800 players nominated. The ballot was then made available to SIDs, who voted for a predetermined number of players in their region, as well as D3baseball.com staff and contributors.
Under the watch of 25th-year Head Coach Will Sanborn '86, Saint Joseph's posted a 31-8 overall record with a 13-1 mark in GNAC play this spring en route to earning the top seed in the conference tournament. The Monks, regionally and nationally ranked virtually all season, suffered a 6-3 quarterfinal loss at the hands of #4 Johnson & Wales University on May 4th and saw their season come to an abrupt end with an elimination game loss at the hands of #3 Lasell College two days later.
Coscione becomes the second All-New England Laser in as many seasons after former teammate and catcher Wes Hurty earned Second Team honors as the league's Player of the Year last season.
Coscione hit .291 with 18 RBI and set a new program record with 38 runs scored while playing in all 32 games for the Lasers this spring, but posted a .391 average as Lasell went 10-4 during conference play. Overall, he recorded 34 hits, including 11 doubles, two triples, and four home runs, and stole six bases.
As a pitcher, Coscione went 3-0 with three saves on the season and struck out 25 batters over 26.1 innings of work. He did not lose a single decision on the mound during his three years as a Laser as he posted a 4-0 record and saved seven games, amassing a 4.34 career ERA.
Coscione played in at least 30 games during each of his seasons at Lasell, starting at shortstop during all three and serving as the team's primary closer for two years. At the plate, his career average was .297, while all but one of his career home runs came this season.
Information Provided by Suffolk, SJC, Lasell Athletics Communications.