July 20, 2007

EASTON, Pa. - The 2007 Patriot League champion Lafayette baseball program and head coach Joe Kinney have signed 10 recruits as part of the Class of 2011.

"Our coaching staff is very excited about our incoming recruiting class. We will have many holes to fill losing nine seniors from our 2007 Patriot League championship team, particularly on the mound and in the outfield," Kinney said. "I feel that this class has addressed these areas with three outfielders coming in along with two right-handed pitchers and three left-handed pitchers. In addition, we added depth in the infield and behind the plate. Our first chance to evaluate our new freshmen will be during our fall workouts which will begin in early September of 2007."

The class is highlighted by the wealth of pitching talent. At the top of that list is Zach Fritz (Minersville, Pa./Minersville), a 6-0, 185-pound righthander. Fritz was a four-year varsity starter who led his high school squad to a state title in his senior year while being named Player of the Year in the Schuylkill League and in the Lower Anthracite Region.

Fritz went 12-0 as a senior, capping a career in which he won 34 games and struck out 353 batters. He was also able to post big numbers at the plate, as he hit for a .526 average in his senior year while ending his career with 120 hits. Fritz was also a three-year starter in basketball and a member of the National Honor Society.

Adam Young (Hume, Va./Fauquier) is the biggest of Kinney's incoming pitchers, checking in a 6-2, 165 pounds and managed 10 wins in his high school career. A member of the National Honor Society, Young received the Steve Athey/Fauquier County award as a senior.

Ben Hertz (Pelham, N.Y./Fordham Prep), Joseph Verdon (Hawthorne, N.J./Hawthorne) and Corey Shea (Hanson, Mass./Xaverian Brothers) bring their left-handed arms to the Leopards' program. Hertz (6-1, 170) served as the captain of his varsity baseball and hockey teams at Fordham Prep in 2006-07. He collected First-Team All-Bronx and Westchester honors in baseball during his senior year. Hertz was an All-City Third-Team selection in hockey.

Verdon (5-11, 180) was a three-year varsity starter and the team's captain in his final two seasons. He earned all-conference honors all three seasons and was an all-area player as a senior. Verdon was also a member of the National Honor Society, Spanish Honor Society and New Jersey Boys State.

Shea is a Massachusetts native who was a 2007 Baseball Factory Preseason All American. The 6-0, 170-pound Shea also competed in varsity hockey at Xaverian Brothers where his academic credentials were honored with admittance to the National Honor Society.

In the outfield, Kinney is looking to replace a pair of 2007 Lafayette graduates from Maryland where he has had significant recruiting success. Kevin Leasure (Ellicott City, Md.) and James Conrad (Columbia, Md.) were both three-year starters and All-Patriot League First-Team selections.

Alex Bechta (Ellicott City, Md./Centennial) and Rob Froio (Midlothian, Ill./St. Laurence) both come to College Hill as outfielders. Bechta, a Maryland native, will bring a left-handed bat to the lineup. The 5-11, 190-pounder was a four-year varsity starter and a three-time First-Team All-County selection at Centennial. Bechta was selected to play for Team Maryland in the Brooks Robinson All-State game as a senior. He finished his prep career with 112 hits.

His football exploits were equally as successful, as the three-time Under Armour All-American holds his high school's career rushing record with 2,203 yards. He was named a National Football Foundation Scholar Athlete, was first-team all-Met as a senior and was twice honored as First-Team All-County.

The 5-9, 165-pound Froio is the first switch hitter to come to College Hill during Kinney's tenure. He was a three-year varsity starter who twice earned All-Chicago Catholic League and all-area honors. Froio was a starter on the basketball squad at St. Laurence where he also was a member of the National Honor Society and was an Illinois State scholar.

Kinney brought in three players to compete in the infield. Catcher A.J. Miller (Manasquan, N.J./Manasquan) is one of two recruits from New Jersey, and will join five returning players from the Garden State, a perennially strong recruiting area for the Leopards' program. The Leopards' starting first baseman, junior Chris Luick, is from Miller's hometown of Manasquan.

Miller was a two-year varsity starter who racked up first-team all-division and Second Team All-Shore Conference honors in his final season. The 6-2, 200-pound Miller was a Monmouth County All-Star in 2007 when he was also a Carpenter Cup selection.

Adam McMahon (Abington Heights, Pa./Abington Heights) is one of the more versatile players in the Class of 2011, as he can play either first base or outfield. The 6-5, 215-pounder right-handed hitter was an All-Lackawanna League First-Team and all-region selection as a senior while also being named the team's offensive MVP.

Matt Fenster (Bloomfield Hills, Mich./Bloomfield Hills Andover) was a four-year varsity player who was thrice honored with first-team all-conference and all-area playing honors. The team captain's work on the academic side was also recognized following his sophomore, junior and senior seasons when he was honored with all-conference scholar-athlete recognition.

Lafayette returns four positional starters in Luick (1B), Jeff Butler (3B), Tom Hayes (2B) and Daniel Bierce (SS) and two of their four weekend starting pitchers (Kevin Reese and Jeremy Atkins) from a 2007 squad that set a school-record with 33 victories. The Leopards won their first Patriot League title and made the first NCAA Regional appearance in 17 seasons.