Baseball sends five student-athletes to All-Conference Team; one Gold Glove selection

Full Release on the GNAC website: 2015 GNAC Baseball All-Conference Teams

(Winthrop, Mass.) This afternoon the Great Northeast Athletic Conference unveiled their 2015 Baseball All-Conference Teams and five Rivier University Raiders were selected after their stellar seasons. The team finished the year at 13-19 and an 8-6 conference record which secured them the fifth overall seed in the Conference Tournament. The Raiders fell to fourth seeded Lasell College in a heartbreaking 1-0 thriller as it was the programs first post-season appearance under fourth year head coach Anthony Perry and the first since 2008.

Senior JJ Montello (Nashua, N.H.) was named to the All-Conference First Team after a standout senior season. Montello led the team in hits (46), runs (32) and doubles (11) in 2015. He set program single-season records with 46 hits and 32 runs scored. The everyday second baseman slugged at a .612 clip and registered a .414 on base percentage as he started 30 games this season. Montello also hit his first three career home runs and drove in 19 RBI from the leadoff spot in the Raider batting order.

Also being selected to the All-Conference First Team was junior Taylor Black (West Springfield, Mass.). The starting shortstop went 38-for-102 on the season, a .373 batting average, while slugging three homers and driving in a team high 21 RBI. Black also started in 30 games for Rivier while swiping 10 bases in the process. He was named to the All-Conference Third Team in 2014 as a sophomore.

Senior David Cusack (Newburyport, Mass.) was named to the All-Conference Second Team as an outfielder. He started all 32 games this season in centerfield and finished his senior season with a .336 average, 36 hits, 30 runs scored and three home runs. Cusack also set a single season record with 19 stolen bases and in just two seasons after transferring in from Northern Essex Community College, he set the All-Time program record of 29 stolen bases. Cusack also played gold-glove caliber defense in centerfield for the Raiders.

Two other Raiders were named to the All-Conference Third Team in junior Jeremy Ball (Swanzey, N.H.) and senior Alex Mears (Sandown, N.H.).

Ball had a terrific year in right field for Rivier in 2015. He recorded a career high 35 hits and 7 doubles while recording 15 RBI. His batting average of .327 was fourth amongst the team and he smacked a team high 4 triples. His defensive prowess in the outfield was outstanding as he recorded 69 putouts, 2 assists and committed zero errors for a perfect fielding percentage.

Mears was the best pitcher on the Raider staff this season. He finished his career with a 4-1 win-loss record and an ERA of 2.84. He recorded wins over Suffolk University, twice, and Johnson & Wales before suffering his first loss in the tough 1-0 defeat to Lasell in the playoffs. Mears struck out 29 hitters in 31.2 innings pitched with two complete games. Opponents hit only .186 against him in 2015.

Senior Michael Scanlon (Plantsville, Conn.) also receives recognition from the GNAC as he was named the first ever Gold Glove Award winner at third base. The four-year senior for Rivier played in all 32 games and committed just nine errors.

Founded in 1995, the Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) is an NCAA Division III association made up of 12 member institutions and over 3,000 student-athletes across the New England region. Each year, the GNAC sponsors and administers 17 championships, while balancing academic integrity, athletic opportunities and community involvement.

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