Nick Jones Named a Third-Team NJCAA Division III Baseball All-American

MANCHESTER, Conn. (May 22) – Manchester Community College sophomore right-hander Nick Jones (EAST WINDSOR) has been named a 2007 third-team National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) Division III Baseball All-American.

“Nick was an absolute bulldog on the mound this year for us,” eighth-year coach Chris Strahowski said. “He pitched in, and won, every game we needed him to. You can’t teach the type of mentality that he brings to the field every day. He will find success at any level, because of his dedication to the game and work ethic.”

Jones (7-0), a transfer from the University of Connecticut at Avery Point, led all NJCAA Division III pitchers with a 0.46 earned-run average (minimum 56 innings), according to statistics on njcaa.org as of May 21. (Jeremiah Dorey of North Arkansas College was second with a 0.76 ERA.) He allowed three earned runs in 59 1/3 innings. Jones made seven appearances (five starts) from April 11-May 11 without allowing an earned run.

The 5-foot-10 Jones, a 2006 first-team NJCAA Division III All-Region XXI pitcher, totaled 60 strikeouts (1.011 per nine innings), 12th in NJCAA Division III baseball (minimum 56 innings). He struck out a season-high 10 twice (April 3 at University of Bridgeport JV and April 14 at Holyoke Community College).

Jones went 13-0 – 6-0 at UConn at Avery Point in 2006 – with 101 strikeouts and a 1.56 ERA in 115 1/3 career innings in junior college.

As a utility infielder/designated hitter, Jones hit .338 with 18 runs, 27 hits, nine doubles, two home runs and 20 RBIs in 80 at-bats this season.

Jones joins former MCC outfielders Stan Lewandowski (2002, third team), Dustin Fredieu (2003, second team) and Clint Mitchell (2006, first team) and third baseman Shane Legare (2005, third team) as NJCAA Division III All-Americans under Strahowski. He is Manchester Community College’s third NJCAA Division III All-American for the 2006-07 academic year. Jones shares All-America status with sophomore forward Andreas Blamo (WEST HARTFORD) and sophomore back Andrew Repay (MANCHESTER) from the men’s soccer team, a 2006 NJCAA Division III tournament quarterfinalist.

Manchester Community College finished the season with a 17-17 record and reached the NJCAA Division III Region XXI Baseball Tournament for the seventh straight season. The fourth-seeded Cougars lost to second-seeded and host Massasoit Community College in the championship round of the 2007 tournament.