The No. 6 Nova Southeastern University baseball team (35-15, 18-6 SSC) has earned seven postseason Sunshine State Conference awards, as announced by the conference office on Wednesday afternoon. Alex Mateo earned the most prestigious award of the seven, being named the 2016 SSC Pitcher of the Year. The Sharks earned the most player awards out of any school in the SSC.
Alex Mateo – SSC Pitcher of the Year / First Team Starting Pitcher
After going 10-1 as a junior with a 3.83 ERA, 93 strikeouts and a first team All-SSC selection, ace Alex Mateo was on a mission in 2016. Despite having a less glamorous record of 7-4, the senior lowered his ERA to 3.18 and recorded 80 strikeouts in 87.2 innings pitched. In just two years as a Shark, Mateo has 173 career strikeouts and ranks third in the Sharks’ NCAA era. Mateo was one of two pitchers in the SSC to have an ERA lower than 3.00 against conference opponents, the other being his teammate Julian Loret de Mola. Mateo is just the second pitcher in program history to earn the Pitcher of the Year award, joining Derek Antelo who won the award in 2005.
Julian Loret de Mola – First Team Starting Pitcher
Following a redshirt year in 2015, Loret de Mola, better known as “LDM,” joined the starting rotation after a dominant performance out of the bullpen against Lynn in early March when he struck out nine hitters in seven innings of work. Since joining the rotation, the Sharks have not lost a game that LDM started in. Loret de Mola owns the best ERA in the SSC with a 2.59 ERA and has the best opponents batting average with a .226.
Devin Raftery – First Team Relief Pitcher
Arguably the most dominant reliever in the Sunshine State Conference in recent memory, Raftery has had a tremendous 2016 season on the mound for the Sharks. Raftery is fourth in program history, and second in the NCAA era, with 17 saves, while his 11 this season are also fourth all time and second in the NCAA era. Among all pitchers with at least 30 career innings, Raftery, with 73 innings, has the lowest ERA (1.23) and opponent average (.162) and is second in strikeouts per nine innings (13.81). Raftery also has the two lowest ERA totals among pitchers with at least 30 innings in one season, with 1.17 this season besting his 1.30 last season. The same is also true of the two lowest opponent average numbers, with the same 30-inning minimum, with his .142 from last season topping his current .179. Raftery’s 15.50 strikeout per nine rate this season is also the best among pitchers with 15 innings of work. On May 8th, the last day of the regular season, Raftery faced 16 batters in four innings, accumulating 11 strikeouts, becoming the first pitcher in program history to strike out 10 or more batters in relief. In addition, Raftery, with 66 K’s so far, broke the record for most strikeouts in a season as a reliever, set at 59 K’s by Zac Westcott last season. Lastly, Raftery has recorded at least one strikeout in 41 consecutive relief appearances, also a program record.
Brandon Gomez – First Team Designated Hitter
Gomez has led the Sharks to a program record of 75 single-season home runs, hitting 19 of his own to place him second in program history in single-season home runs. The junior is second in the Sunshine State conference in home runs and second in RBI with 68. Gomez leads the team in runs (49), hits (68), doubles (13), triples (3), home runs, RBI, total bases (144) and slugging percentage (.731).
Kevin Suarez – Second Team Outfielder
Kevin Suarez broke the program record for longest on-base streak on May 8th against Florida Tech, the last day of the regular season, entering the regional tournament on a 35-game streak dating back to February 27th. The previous record of 33 games was set by Matt Mindick in 2007. Over his last 35 games, Suarez is hitting .367/.426/.489, with 33 runs scored and 22 runs batted in. He has 11 extra-base hits – seven doubles, two triples and two homers – in addition to 13 walks and 14 stolen bases. Suarez also achieved a 21-game hitting streak, third longest in program history, that last from March 19th through April 30th. He hit .419/.457/.570 in those 21 games, with 19 runs, 15 RBI, 9 extra-base hits, six walks and nine stolen bases. Suarez finished in the top 11 in average against conference opponents, hitting .372.
Jancarlos Cintron-Torres – Second Team Second Baseman
Jancarlos Cintron joins Suarez on the All-SSC second team, both playing in their first seasons in a Sharks uniform. Cintron led the team in at-bats with 199 AB’s. Cintron led the team in hits against conference opponents, scattering 38 hits in the 24-game conference schedule. The junior hit five of his six home runs against conference opponents, including three in one weekend against Barry when he raised is average .030 points in one weekend.
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