Pitro Named HCAC Freshman of the Year, Seven Jackets Honored

GREENWOOD, Ind.  --  The Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference announced its 2007 award winners for baseball on Tuesday. Tim Pitro was named as the league's top freshman and David Jackson, LeTroy Harris, Mike Hill, Brandon Portales, Brad Timofeev and Dustin Zizelman were selected to the All-HCAC Team.

That group of players helped lead Defiance to its seventh-straight season with double-digit victories and combined to hit .338 as a group while accounting for nearly 45 percent of the runs scored and 60 percent of DCs runs batted in and extra-base hits on the season. Pitro, Portales, Timofeev and Zizelman also contributed heavily on the mound for the Jackets, teaming for nine of DCs 12 wins, five saves, 166 innings and 93 strikeouts.

Those statistics translated into seven All-HCAC selections for the Yellow Jackets as voted on by the conference head coaches and announced by the league office. Along with Pitros Freshman of the Year selection, Jackson was named Second-Team All-HCAC with Harris, Hill, Portales, Timofeev and Zizelman taking Honorable Mention All-HCAC honors.

Pitro became the second DC student-athlete in 2006-07 to be heralded as an HCAC Freshman of the Year, joining Mandy White who took the honor for womens basketball. Pitro was one of the top threats in the lineup and on the mound during his rookie season with the Yellow Jackets. The Gahanna, Ohio, native led Defiance in nearly every offensive statistic with a .378 average, 20 runs, 45 hits, three home runs, 27 runs batted in, 60 total bases, a .504 slugging percentage and a .444 on-base clip and was also ranked ninth in the conference in batting average. Pitro made his mark on the mound for the Purple & Gold as well, piling up four saves for the third-highest single-season total in school history and the fourth-best mark in the HCAC this season.

Jackson was named Second Team All-HCAC for his contributions from the designated hitter position. Jackson ended the season with a .345 average and a .437 slugging percentage, while adding five doubles, one homer and 14 RBI. The junior closed the 2007 campaign on an absolute tear, carrying the Yellow Jacket lineup by hitting .536 and posting a .786 slugging percentage over the teams final eight games. Jackson set new career highs at the plate in numerous statistics including batting average, hits and at bats.

Harris earned Honorable Mention All-HCAC honors after playing a rock solid left field and serving as a spark plug for the Yellow Jacket lineup during his freshman season. Harris struggled out of the gates to a .207 average through his first 11 collegiate games before catching fire. The Toledo, Ohio, native knocked out one or more hits in 21 of his final 24 games, including a stretch of 11-straight games with a hit and batted a robust .369 during that streak. For the season Harris posted a .327 batting average in 113 at bats, scored 15 times and swiped 14 bags in 18 attempts. Harris led DC to a pair of key HCAC victories with some bases-loaded heroics. A three-run triple highlighted a four-RBI day and set the tone for an eventual series victory at Rose-Hulman. Harris struck again four days later, smacking a grand slam in a 7-5 home win against Manchester.

Hill collected his second All-HCAC honor after turning in his best season at the plate for the Yellow Jackets. Hill flirted with hitting .400 for much of his senior season, carrying a .401 average into April before settling for a .311 clip on the year. The Ashland, Ohio, native played in all but one game for Defiance in 2007 and piled up 119 at bats, 17 runs, three doubles, 10 runs batted in, 13 walks and 10 stolen bases, setting new career highs in at bats, hits, runs, doubles, walks and steals.

Portales was named All-HCAC Honorable Mention after leading Defiance with 63.2 innings pitched and a 3.39 earned run average during his rookie campaign. The southpaw held the opposition to a paltry .228 batting average and owned solid WHIP of 1.32. Portales did not yield a home run in 232 at bats and only allowed eight extra-base hits. The Marblehead, Ohio, native ended the season with the eighth-best ERA in HCAC contests, posting a 3.21 mark in 10 league appearances. Portales closed the season with two of his best starts, tossing a pair of complete game gems against Bluffton and Hanover and allowing just four earned runs in those 18 innings.

Timofeev came to Defiance as a sophomore and impressed in the field, at the plate and on the mound during his first season with the Purple and Gold. The Oregon, Ohio, native was fourth on the squad in batting average and third in earned run average while also playing a solid third base. Timofeev carried a .400 batting average into the second weekend of April before ending the season with a .326 mark. On the mound Timofeev picked up three wins and posted an ERA of 4.24. Timofeev was named as the HCAC Pitcher of the Week on March 19 after tossing a one hitter and going 2-0 with a 0.64 ERA in 14 innings to lead DC to wins over Fontbonne and Stevens Tech in Port Charlotte, Fla.

Zizelman rounded out the list of seven Yellow Jackets to be named All-HCAC, taking Honorable Mention recognition after leading DC with four victories on the bump during his sophomore season. Zizelman went 3-1 with a 4.55 earned run average in nine Heartland Conference appearances and ended the year atop the DC staff with four wins and 41 strikeouts. The Mendon, Ohio, native joined Timofeev in taking HCAC Pitcher-of-the-Week honors after being recognized on April 16. Zizelman went 2-0 in 10 innings on the week and surrendered only two earned runs for an ERA of 1.80. The week was highlighted with a seven inning performance against Manchester in which the sophomore hurler held the Spartans to one earned run and six hits in the 7-5 victory.

Defiance ended the 2007 campaign at 12-25 overall and went 7-15 in HCAC action. The Yellow Jackets are set to return 18 players, including six of the seven players named to the 2007 All-HCAC Team.