Baseball Puts Five on NEIBA All-Star Team
Dowd, Hennigan, Ingui, Maloney, Thompson selected among best in New England
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Dowd earned his second selection to the NEIBA All-Star Game in
three years.RINDGE, N.H. (May 31, 2011) – Junior catcher Mike Dowd (East Bridgewater, Mass.), junior second baseman Dan Hennigan (Downingtown, Pa.), senior designated hitter Derek Ingui (Sterling, Mass.), senior left-hander Brian Maloney (Brockton, Mass.) and sophomore right-hander Ryan Thompson (Calgary, Alberta) of the Franklin Pierce University baseball team have all been selected to participate in the New England Intercollegiate Baseball Association All-Star Game, as announced by the NEIBA. This year's game is scheduled for 7 p.m. on Thursday, June 2 at LeLacheur Park in Lowell, Mass.
The five Ravens will join other All-Star selections from Division II and III programs from across New England to form the College Division Team. Meanwhile, Division I All-Stars comprise the University Division Team. Franklin Pierce was the only Division II or III school to see more than two of its players selected to the game. Overall, only the University of Connecticut garnered more selections than Franklin Pierce, as the Huskies will send eight players to Lowell. The University of Rhode Island also saw five players named to the University Division Team.
It is the second selection to the event for both Dowd and Ingui, who previously represented Franklin Pierce at the NEIBA All-Star Game in 2009. The Ravens sent four players to last year's event.
In his first year on the mound for the Ravens after transferring from the University of Connecticut, Thompson has put up numbers among the nation's best in 2011. Through May 24, his 1.23 earned-run average was good for fifth in the country. In addition, Thompson ranks eighth in the country in strikeouts (114), 19th in hits allowed per nine innings (5.97), 20th in walks allowed per nine innings (1.23) and 22nd in strikeouts per nine innings (10.8). His 11-1 record has him tied for 8th in the country in wins. Earlier today, Thompson was selected to the All-America First Team by the NCBWA and, earlier this spring, was the consensus East Region Pitcher of the Year and a consensus All-East Region First team selection, as he earned both honors from the NCBWA, the ABCA and Daktronics. Before that, he was pegged as Northeast-10 Conference Pitcher of the Year and was an All-Northeast-10 First Team selection. Thompson is a finalist for College Baseball Lineup's Tino Martinez Division II Player of the Year Award and was selected to the inaugural CBL DII All-Star Team.
Ingui has put together one of the most impressive offensive seasons in the nation, especially given that he plays in a wood-bat conference. Through May 24, he ranked among the top 85 players in the country in batting average (.387), runs scored per game (0.96), runs scored (52), hits (75), home runs per game (0.19), home runs (10), runs batted in (47), slugging percentage (.634) and total bases (123). Earlier today, Ingui was named as an All-America Honorable Mention by the NCBWA, in addition to his selection to the CoSIDA Academic All-America Second Team earlier this spring. He was a consensus All-East Region First Team selection, having earned the honor from the NCBWA, the ABCA and Daktronics, and was a member of the inaugural edition of the College Baseball Lineup DII All-Stars. Before that, Ingui was named to the All-Northeast-10 First Team and was also a semifinalist for the Tino Martinez Award.
Dowd wrapped up the 2011 season as one of the toughest batters to strike out in the country. He struck out just 10 times in 202 at-bats, or once every 20.3 at-bats, which was good for 10th in the country through May 24. In addition, Dowd ranks in the top five in the Northeast-10 in batting average (.342), hits (69), doubles (17) and total bases (101). Earlier this spring, he was selected to the All-East Region First Team by both the ABCA and Daktronics, in addition to an East Region Gold Glove honor from the ABCA. Prior to that, Dowd was named to the All-Northeast-10 First Team.
In his first year in Rindge after transferring from Philadelphia University, Hennigan posted a .434 on-base percentage, second on the team, out of the leadoff hole. He currently ranks in the top five in the Northeast-10 in runs scored (49), hits (67) and walks (32). Hennigan hit .338 (67-for-198) and slugged .409 on the season. He hit 10 doubles and two triples, drove in 22 runs and stole 13 bases in 15 attempts. A consensus All-East Region First Team selection, Hennigan was also named to the All-Northeast-10 First Team this spring.
In his final go-around at Franklin Pierce, Maloney was just a step behind Thompson at the top of the pitching rotation. Through May 24, he ranked seventh in the country in strikeouts (115), eighth in strikeouts per nine innings (11.67), 15th in earned-run average (1.52) and 16th in hits allowed per nine innings (5.78). Earlier this year, he was named to the Daktronics and NCBWA All-East Region Second Teams, as well as the All-Northeast-10 First Team.
The Ravens wrapped up the 2011 campaign at 40-14, reaching the 40-win plateau for the second year in a row and the fifth time in program history, all in the last six years. Franklin Pierce hosted NCAA Regional play for the sixth time in school history, all in the last seven years.
For more information on Franklin Pierce Athletics, please visit the official website of Franklin Pierce Athletics (http://athletics.franklinpierce.edu). Also be sure to follow the Ravens through the Department of Athletics' official Facebook page (http://www.facebook.com/FranklinPierceRavens), its YouTube channel (http://www.youtube.com/franklinpiercesports) and its Twitter feed (http://twitter.com/FPUathletics).