NEWARK, NJ – NJIT freshmen Jeffrey Pizzi, an outfielder, and shortstop Vincent Del Vecchio were selected by the New Jersey Collegiate Baseball Association to the 2009 Division I all-State Rookie team.
The team was chosen in voting conducted among the coaches of the eight New Jersey Division I teams, which include Rutgers, Seton Hall, Princeton, Monmouth, Fairleigh Dickinson, Rider and Saint Peter's, in addition to the Highlanders.
Pizzi, the rookie outfielder from Marlboro, NJ, had the top batting average for the Highlanders among players with more than 80 at-bats, finishing at .284. He was hitless in the final two games of the season, but he hit safely in the previous 13 consecutive games in a streak that began on April 15 and ended on May 10. The hot streak lifted Pizzi's batting average more than 100 points by season's end. The speedy Pizzi also led NJIT in runs scored (18) and triples (2).
Del Vecchio, the Highlanders shortstop from Bloomfield, NJ, was the only player to start every game (37). Among players with at least 80 at-bats, he ranked second in batting average at .263 and total hits (30).
His defense was outstanding, as he stabilized the vital position of shortstop, which had been a trouble spot the previous couple of seasons. Del Vecchio committed nine errors in 2009, contrasted with a combined 43 from the starting shortstop position in 2007 and 2008.
He helped NJIT set a new school season mark for double plays, turning (34) to top the old mark (30), set in 2007. His 106 assists in a season are second all-time at NJIT.