GREENSBORO, N.C. -- Six members of the Washington & Jefferson College baseball team were granted All-Region status when the 2022 ABCA/Rawlings NCAA Div. III All-Region Teams were announced Tuesday by the American Baseball Coaches Association. The teams are voted on by members of the ABCA and the process is led by the ABCA NCAA Div. III All-America Committee.
Following a 37-10 campaign, which included a 25-2 conference mark, the Presidents were well-represented on the All-Region 7 Teams. The five honorees were the second most in the region. W&J captured its 14th Presidents' Athletic Conference title earlier this month and made its ninth appearance in the NCAA Tournament.
Earning All-Region Second Team status were
Tyler Horvat (Irwin, Pa./Penn-Trafford),
Peter Kalinski (Washington, D.C./Saint John's College),
Henry Litman (Marietta, Ga./Walton) and
Evan Sante (Pittsburgh, Pa./Plum). Third Team laurels went to
Dante DiMatteo (Pittsburgh, Pa./Fox Chapel) and
Jameson Campbell (Painesville, Ohio/Riverside).
This marks Horvat's second All-Region honor from the ABCA. He produced another exceptional season as one of the top two-way players in Division III Baseball. Offensively, Horvat ranked first in on-base percentage (.494) and in batting average (.445) among conference players with 38 runs scored and 30 RBI. Despite missing 10 games, his 65 hits ranked second among conference players. Horvat has also stolen 21 bases in 25 attempts. On the mound, Horvat has posted a 2.13 earned-run average and sports an 8-1 record with two complete games. Opponents have hit just .212 against him. He issued just 11 walks in 67.2 innings.
Kalinski, a First Team All-PAC pick and PAC Player of the Year, compiled a .356 batting average with six doubles, five home runs, 41 RBIs and 42 runs scored. His 42 runs scored were the most among PAC players, while his on-base percentage (.469) and RBIs ranked fifth in the PAC. Kalinski was terrific in run-producing situations, hitting .404 with runners in scoring position and totaling 16 two-out RBIs. He ranked seventh in NCAA Division III with eight sacrifice flies.
Litman compiled an 8-3 record with a 2.93 earned-run average over a team-high 86 innings. His 86 strikeouts established a new single-season school record. He limited the opposition to a .229 batting average. He struck out a season-high 10 batters in W&J's PAC Tournament semifinals victory over Grove City. The D3baseball.com All-Region honor is the second straight for Litman, who last year was D3baseball.com Mideast Region Pitcher of the Year as a junior.
The All-Region honor is the first for Sante, who was one of the PAC's top power threats. Sante led the conference in home runs (10) and RBIs (48). The junior outfielder ranked second in slugging percentage (.650), tied for third in total bases (89) and was ninth in batting average (.350). Sante was a two-time PAC Hitter of the Week in 2022. He homered against regionally-ranked opponents, Mount Union, Benedictine and Marietta.
DiMatteo led the PAC and ranks sixth in NCAA Division III with 10 saves as a freshman. He registered 38 strikeouts in 30.1 innings pitched. He limited the opposition to a .175 batting average. He recorded impressive two-inning saves against regionally-ranked foes Mount Union, Benedictine and Wooster.
Campbell put together a remarkable senior season, as he compiled a 10-2 record with a 3.10 earned run average. Campbell led the conference in wins (10) and ranked third in opponent batting average (.214) and fifth in strikeouts (70). Campbell earned a pair of wins against regionally ranked foes, beating Benedictine on March 18 and Wooster on March 23 during W&J's Spring Break trip to RussMatt Central Florida Invitational. Campbell tossed a two-hit shutout versus conference runner-up Westminster on May 7.
