May 24, 2011
Newport News, Va. -
Fordham University freshmen Tim Swatek (Maywood, N.J./Hackensack) and Chris Pike (Watermill, N.Y./Southampton) were both selected to the Atlantic 10 All-Conference Baseball Team today, it was announced by the league office. Swatek earned Second Team All-Atlantic 10 honors as a relief pitcher, while Pike was an Honorable Mention pick as a starting pitcher. Both were also named to the Atlantic 10 All-Rookie Team.
This is the second straight season Fordham has had two honorees on the Atlantic 10 All-Conference team, while it is the first time Fordham has had an All-Rookie team selection.
Swatek was a dual threat for the Rams at the plate and on the hill. As a reliever, he led the team with a 1.85 ERA, which ranks 13th on the Fordham single season list, to go with six saves in 17 appearances. He posted a 2-1 record and 28 strikeouts in 34.0 innings pitched, while allowing a .198 opponent batting average. He is the first Fordham freshman since Gary Kaible in 2001 to lead the team in ERA with an average below 2.00. Swatek was even better in conference play, posting a 1.04 ERA, three saves, and 12 strikeouts in 17.1 innings pitched.
At the plate, Swatek had a productive freshman campaign, hitting .273 with seven doubles, 18 RBI, and seven stolen bases. In league play, he was one of three Fordham hitters over the .300 mark at .308, posting eight RBI, four stolen bases, and a pair of doubles.
After beginning the season as a reliever, Pike developed into one of the top young starting pitchers in the Atlantic 10. He ended the year with an 8-1 record, leading the team in wins, to go along with a 2.41 ERA, a team-high 70 strikeouts, three complete games, and three saves. He was a three-time Atlantic 10 Rookie of the Week selection, making him the first Ram to win three Rookie of the Week Awards in baseball since Cory Riordan in 2005.
In Atlantic 10 play, Pike posted a 6-0 record in eight starts with three complete games, a 2.27 ERA, 40 strikeouts, and a .231 opponent batting average in 63.1 innings of work.
