Posted: May 17, 2022
Six Bucs Named to All-MASCAC Teams
WESTFIELD, MA -- Wednesday afternoon, the MASCAC announced their 2022 Baseball All-Conference teams. The Buccaneers are well represented with six selections, four on the First Team and two on the Second Team.
First Team
Brodey Tinkham (Jr., Starting Pitcher, Norton, MA) -- Tinkham finished the 2022 season with a 7-3 record in 12 appearances, including 11 starts, with a 1.76 ERA. He was second in the league in wins and third in the league in ERA. In 71.2 innings pitched he struck out 49 hitters allowing 59 hits, 19 walks and only 14 earned runs.
In conference play, Brodey went 4-1 with four complete games. In 33 innings he struck out 34 hitters and posted a 1.64 ERA with 9.27 strikeouts per nine innings.
Brodey is the first pitcher in program history to win the Conference Pitcher of the Year award. He has also been named to the MASCAC All-Conference First Team.
Brett Velzis (So., Third Baseman, Cypress, TX) -- Velzis made his way on to the MASCAC First Team as the third baseman on the back of a .311 batting average with a team leading, and sixth best in the conference, five home runs. Brett had 41 hits on the season, third on the team, and walked 22 times, posting a .436 on-base percentage. To go along with his five home runs, he was second on the team in doubles with eight and had two triples to his credit. With 25 RBI he was tied for the team lead in the category.
In 21 conference games this season, Velzis hit .375 with a .506 on-base percentage. He had 24 hits in 64 at-bats including six doubles, a triple and two home runs. He drove in 13 runs in those conference games.
Zach Sylvia (Jr., Shortstop, Brockton, MA) -- Sylvia finished the season with a .316 batting average in 39 games. He was second on the team with 43 hits this year and led the team in the double column with nine while also hitting two triples. He drove in 23 runs, second on the team, and scored 34 times. To go along with his 43 hits, he walked 13 times for a .381 on-base percentage. Batting mostly in the two spots in the lineup, Zach only struck out 19 times in 136 at bats.
In the team's 21 conference games, Sylvia posted a .387 batting average with 29 hits. He also walked nine times and had a .448 on-base percentage in those games. He drove in 16 runs and scored 16 times with six doubles and a triple.
Brenden Baiardi (Fr., Closer, Harwinton, CT) -- Baiardi is one of two freshmen in the conference to be named to the Conference First Team. The freshman closer was tied for the MASCAC lead in saves with seven and was 19th in the nation in the category at the end of the season. In 14 appearances this season, Baiardi posted a 1-1 record as the team's closer. He struck out 18 hitters in those 15 innings while allowing 10 hits, seven walks, and five runs. He finished the season with a 3.00 ERA.
In his seven conference appearances, Brenden recorded four saves in 7.1 innings pitched. He struck out eight hitters, allowed five hits, walked four and allowed three runs.
Second Team
Alex Schlapak (Sr., Outfield, Dover, N.H.) -- Schlapak led the Buccaneers and was eighth in the MASCAC this season with a .351 batting average with a team-high 46 hits, including five doubles. He walked 13 times and tallied a .411 on-base percentage. From mostly the lead off spot in the lineup, Alex drove in 16 runs and scored 20 times for the Bucs. In 131 at-bats he only struck out 11 times.
In 21 conference games, Schlapak batted .370 with a .459 on-base percentage. He compiled 27 hits, two doubles, walked 11 times, drove in seven runs and scored 11 times.
Aidan Henderson (Sr., Designated Hitter, Hanover, MA) -- A staple in the middle of the Maritime order in 2022, Henderson batted .321 in 37 games this season. He had 35 hits, six doubles, and two home runs on the year. He was tied for the team lead in RBI with 25 and scored 15 times. A contact hitter, Aidan only walked 5 times on the year and only struck out 17 times in 109 at-bats.
In conference, Henderson batted .355 with a .420 OBP. He had 22 hits, four doubles, and a home run. In those 21 conference games, he drove in 20 runs and scored nine times.
The Buccaneers finished 2022 25-17 and were the runner up in the MASCAC postseason tournament.
