HAMBURG, N.Y. – Another record-setting team achievement was established today when the Allegheny Mountain Collegiate Conference announced the 2023 Baseball All-Conference Team and Award Winners.

Hilbert College placed five Hawks on the All-Conference list of 35 baseball players throughout the eight-team league. 

Senior OF Thomas Evans and junior RP Brendan Walsh were selected to the First Team, seniors 1B Patrick Whelan and LHP Michael Contini earned a spot on the Second Team and rookie RHP Brennen Hediger was placed on the Third Team.

Alfred State College swept the Players of the Year with 1B Nick Serce and Pitcher Christopher Mattoon joining their coach Mike Armstrong who was voted the Coach of the Year.  OF James Domer from Pitt-Greensburg was named the Newcomer of the Year.

Thomas Evans (Orchard Park, N.Y./Orchard Park/NCCC) was named to the first team after a record-setting final season at Hilbert.  Evans led the AMCC in OPS (1.491), BA (.463), TB (51), 2B (9), XBH (15), Runs (20) while posting a perfect field percentage in the 14 regular season games.  In his 44 starts played over the course of the full season, he led the AMCC with 34 extra bases, 130 total bases, 59 runs scored, and 16 stolen bases.  The 6-5 OF finished second in home runs (12), third in RBI (49) and fourth in hits (67) while posting an impressive 1.315 OPS.   Evans established single season records for Hilbert baseball in slugging percentage, at bats, runs, home runs, total bases, games played and started and most walks.  In just two years as a Hawk, Evans graduates as the program's leader in batting average (.402), slugging percentage (.723), on-base percentage (.498) and home runs (15).

Brendan Walsh (Depew, N.Y./ St. Mary's of Lancaster) also earned a first team honor with an NCAA Division III-best 11 saves in his first year serving as a relief pitcher.  The RHP led the AMCC in saves and appearances (22).  He had a streak of 13 consecutive appearances without allowing an earned run stretching from February 26th though April 10th.  Walsh closed the year with a 4-0 record and did not allow an earned run in 15 of his 19 appearances including 14 shutout appearances.  Walsh's 11 saves, 22 appearances and 18 games finished shattered Hilbert Baseball single season records.  With one season left in his collegiate career, Walsh is currently the Hawks all-time lead in lowest opponent batting average (.268), most saves (14), and most games finished (14).

For his second time in a Hawk uniform, senior Patrick Whelan (Buffalo, N.Y./Bishop Timon- Saint Jude) was recognized as an All-Conference player.  The 1B landed on the second team after he concluded his final campaign in style.  Whelan led the AMCC with six triples and 61 RBI, which ranked him second in the AMCC All-Time single season record book.  He finished tied for second in hits (68), and extra base hits (31) and third in doubles, home runs, hit by pitch as well as fourth in batting average and slugging percentage.  Whelan established Hilbert single season records in hits (68), RBI, intentional walks (6), hit by pitch (13), sac flies (6), most putouts (298), most games played and started (44) in addition to most triples (6).  In only his second year as a Hawk, Whelan became the program's all-time leader in RBI (93), and triples (8).

Senior Michael Contini (Rochester, N.Y./ Rush Henrietta) joined two other starting pitchers on the second team.  The LHP was tied in the AMCC in games started (6).  He made 13 appearances (league-best) with a 3-4 record after tossing 58.0 innings.  Contini struck out 30 and finished the year with a 4.66 K/9 and 5.74 ERA.  He graduates ranked second in program history with 26 starts over the course of three years, plus the spring break 2020 Covid season.

Rookie Brennen Hediger (Chafee, N.Y./ Pioneer) was selected to the AMCC Third Team after leading the Hawks with a 5-4 record off 12 appearances.  The RHP was second on the team in innings pitched (56.0) and struck out 21, finishing 3rd on the staff.  He finished his first collegiate season with a 5.79 ERA with 10 starts.

Coach Drew Fittry's 2023 team had its most decorated spring in program history setting new team records in overall wins (26) while playing in the first AMCC Title Game after making the program's fifth postseason appearance over the past seven seasons.

Thomas Evans, Brendan Walsh, and Patrick Whelan were named to the AMCC All-Tournament Team after the Hawks went 4-2 in the 2023 AMCC Double Elimination Tournament, beating Pitt-Greensburg  twice in the First Round series, sweeping No.1 Alfred State College twice before falling to Penn State Altoona both times.