Pair of DC Sophomores Garner All-HCAC Honors

GREENWOOD, Ind.  --  The Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference recently announced its 2008 award winners for the baseball regular season. Defiance took home a pair of accolades, as second-year players Tim Pitro and Kirk Jesse were each named All-Heartland Conference.

Pitro was named Second-Team All-HCAC one year after touting HCAC Freshman-of-the-Year honors. The middle infielder spent the majority of the season anchoring the Defiance lineup from his third spot in the order, where he led the Jackets with a .361 batting average, a .475 slugging percentage, a .435 on-base percentage and 26 runs scored. Pitro started all 33 games for DC during his sophomore campaign and maintained an average over the .400 plateau through his first 28 contests. The Gahanna, Ohio, native also set new career highs at the plate with 122 at bats, 26 runs and eight doubles.

Pitro has been an offensive force since stepping on the Defiance campus two years ago and will enter his junior season with a career .369 average. That mark is the second highest career average in Defiance history.

Jesse joined Pitro on the All-HCAC list after being named Honorable Mention All-Heartland Conference. The honor was the first such award for Jesse who had a standout season at the plate for the Yellow Jackets. The Fairview High product showcased plenty of pop this season from his leadoff slot and ended the year with a .295 batting average and a team leading 13 extra-base hits. Jesse led the squad with 132 at bats, nine doubles and three home runs and was second on the roster with 21 runs scored, 39 hits and a .447 slugging percentage, while also swiping five bags and setting career highs in nearly every offensive category. The 132 at bats for Jesse mark the sixth-highest single-season total in Defiance history and trail the all-time record by only 16.

The all-conference selections are nominated and voted on by the leagues head coaches and are announced by the HCAC conference office.