May 20, 2011

ABCA All-East Region First Team
ABCA East Region Gold Glove Team

The American Baseball Coaches Association honored a pair of River Hawks on Friday, naming Cam Kneeland (Rowley, Mass.) to the All-East Region First Team and giving Matt Jacobs (Hudson, Mass.) a coveted Rawlings' Gold Glove. Additionally, pitcher Jack Leathersich (Beverly, Mass.) was named to the inaugural edition of the College Baseball Lineup Division II All Star Team.

The East Region Gold Glove team honors nine outstanding fielders for their prowess with the leather. Jacobs, a speedy center fielder, committed just one error all season, recorded 98 put-outs and six assists.

Friday marked the second honor Jacobs has received this season, previously named to the Northeast-10 All-Conference Second Team. The junior hit .309 this season, with a .399 on-base percentage as he spent most of the season hitting leadoff. Jacobs also recorded 48 runs scored, 27 runs batted in and 14 stolen bases.

Kneeland, already named to the NE-10 All-Conference, NCBWA All-East Region and Daktronics All-East Region First Teams, earned a spot on the ABCA All-East Region First Team for the second consecutive season.

The shortstop led the team with a .335 batting average while clubbing six home runs and 53 runs batted in. Additionally, Kneeland led the team in hits (63), doubles (14), total bases (99), slugging percentage (.524) and on-base percentage (.411).

Lastly, Leathersich was among 36 student-athletes honored by the CBL for the inaugural edition of the Division II All Star Team, a nation-wide collection of talented players.

The hard throwing lefty broke two school records en route to a 6-2 record with a 1.62 earned run average. Leathersich set new program marks for single-season strikeouts (126) and most 10-plus strikeout games (7).

The trio has helped UMass Lowell to a 36-13 record while earning the program's 18th bid to the NCAA Tournament. The River Hawks face elimination today against Dowling College at 11 p.m. in Rindge, NH.