June 8, 2011
Tucson, Ariz. -
The 2011 Louisville Slugger Freshmen All-American team, selected by Collegiate Baseball, was announced today with three Fordham Rams - Chris Pike, Tim Swatek, and Jonathan Reich - among the honorees. They are Fordham's first honorees on the team since Cory Riordan was selected in 2005.
This is also the second time in just over a decade that three Rams have made the Louisville Slugger Freshmen All-American team in one year, as in 2000, Anthony Santopolo, Bobby Kingsbury, and Jon Volosin turned the trick.
Pike picks up his third postseason honor of 2011. He was named to the Atlantic 10 All-Rookie Team, as well as Honorable Mention All-Atlantic 10.
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 awards in baseball since Riordan in 2005.
Swatek also picks up his third postseason honor, as he was named to the Atlantic 10 All-Rookie Team, as well as Second Team All-Atlantic 10 as a relief pitcher.
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.
Reich garners his first major accolade, after a steady season in the bullpen, where he did not allow an earned run until the start of May. He appeared in 15 games as a freshman, all in relief, posting a 3-0 record with a 2.10 ERA and 15 strikeouts in 25.2 innings of work. He walked only five batters on the year and held opponents to a .216 batting average. In Atlantic 10 play, he made four appearances, going 1-0 with a 1.93 ERA and a .176 opponent batting average.
Pike, Swatek, and Reich were three of the four Atlantic 10 players selected, as Charlotte's Tyler Barnette joined them on the Freshmen All-American Team.
Fordham's Louisville Slugger Freshmen All-Americans (since 2000)
2011 - SP Chris Pike, RP Tim Swatek, RP Jonathan Reich
2005 - SP Cory Riordan
2002 - OF Tim Short (Honorable Mention)
2001 - RP Andrew Paolillo
2000 - RP Anthony Santopolo (Honorable Mention), Bobby Kingsbury (Honorable Mention), Jon Volosin (Honorable Mention)
