Five Bears Selected to 2010 AD3I All-Independent Baseball Teams

OVERLAND PARK, KS – In a release announcing the 2010 Association of Division III Independents (AD3I) All-Independent Baseball Teams, five Bears received post-season recognition, with sophomore outfielder Kevin Diaz (Staten Island, NY/Monsignor Farrell) and senior third-baseman Chris Davidson (San Carlos, CA/Carlmont) honored as First Team All-Independent selections.

Senior pitcher Keith Juricich (San Mateo, CA/Serra), sophomore catcher Jon Mendez (Brooklyn, NY/Xaverian) and junior utility player Alvaro Quinones (Brooklyn, NY/Bishop Loughlin) were named as Second Team selections.

The two First Team selections are the most by the Bears, who completed their second varsity season with a 10-22 record.

Diaz led the Association in batting average (.423), slugging percentage (.784) and triples (4) and finished second in on-base percentage (.500) and home runs (7). The sophomore transfer also led the team in hits (41) and extra base hits (17). Diaz posted 12 multiple hit games and nine multiple RBI-games including three games with five or more RBIs. Diaz highlighted his first season as a Bear with a three home run performance that sparked a 15-12 comeback victory over Lehman College on April 7th.

Davidson, a Second Team All-Independent selection last season, is named to the First Team for the first time in his career. The senior received Player of the Week honors on March 23rd, highlighted by a 4-for-4 outing against Emerson where he hit a grand slam and drove in nine runs.  Naturally a pitcher/outfielder, Davidson filled a void and saw a majority of time at third base. Offensively, he ranked second on team in batting average (.373), slugging percentage (.529), RBI (27), hits (38) and extra-base hits (10). As a pitcher, started five games on the mound earning a team-high tying three wins and was ranked second in ERA (6.61), innings pitched (31.1) and strikeouts (26).

Juricich, a Third Team All-Independent selection last season, was selected to the Second Team as a pitcher. Juricich tossed a complete game two-hitter in a 5-1 win over University of Maine Presque Isle on March 27 which earned him Player of the week honors. He led the team in ERA (2.90), wins (3), and opposing batting average (.230). As a hitter, Juricich led the team in stolen bases (11) which ranked third in the Association. Finished fourth on the team in batting average (.333), slugging percentage (.448), runs scored (22), hits (32), RBI (22).

Mendez, last year's AD3I Co-Rookie of the Year, was selected as Second Team catcher for the second straight season. Mendez built a team-high 10-game hitting streak this season. He finished tied for team lead in doubles (7) and was ranked third on team in batting average (.350), slugging percentage (.500), runs scored (24).

Quinones, named to the Second Team for the first time in his career, was ranked second on the team in on-base percentage (.451) and finished third in stolen bases (8), without getting caught stealing all season. The junior outfielder ranked fifth on the team in batting average (.328) and slugging percentage (.431).

The All-Independent baseball teams were selected by the baseball coaches from AD3I member schools.