Baseball

FIVE SETTERS EARN NORTHEAST-10 POSTSEASON HONORS

PLEASANTVILLE, NY - Sophomores Matt Arburr (Bristol, CT/Bristol Eastern) and Jack Cawley (Bronx, NY/Iona Prep) head the list of Pace University baseball players named to Northeast-10 Conference postseason teams.  Cawley and Arburr were NE-10 1^st Team selections while juniors David Qualben (Brooklyn, NY/Xavier) and Earl Oakes (Bristol, CT/Bristol Eastern) were named to the NE-10 2^nd Team.  Junior Bryan Hallberg (River Edge, NJ/Riverdell) was named to the Northeast-10 Conference All-Academic 1^st Team.  The Pace Baseball team completed their final season as probationary members of NCAA Division II with a record of 34-17 overall while also posting a 19-11 NE-10 Conference record.  Pace will be eligible next season to participate in postseason play after waiting the mandatory two years after dropping down from NCAA Division I Independent status.

Arburr was named the NE-10 1^st Team designated hitter after posting a team-high .325 batting averaging, while also leading the team in homeruns (10), runs-batted-in (50), doubles (16), triples (2) and runs scored (44).  Arburr also led the Setters with 25 bases-on-balls and was tied for the team lead in total hits with 62.  Arburr posted a .586 slugging percentage as well as a .415 on-base percentage.  He was successful in five of nine stolen base attempts and was the only player to start in all 51 games for Pace this season.  Arburr reached base safely in 45 of his 51 games played while posting 19 multi-hit games, including eight games with three hits or more.  He also closed out the season reaching base in the final 16 games of the year.  Arburr finished the year among the league leaders in the Northeast-10 in most offensive categories.  He was 3^rd in slugging percentage, 10^th in on-base percentage, 5^th in runs scored, 7^th in total hits, 2^nd in RBI, 5^th in doubles, 3^rd in total bases (112), 7^th in bases-on-balls, 4^th in total plate appearances and 6^th in at-bats (191) while also leading the conference with 10 homeruns.

Cawley was named to the NE-10 1^st Team outfield after posting a .320 batting average with three homeruns, 31 RBI and 41 runs scored. Cawley finished the year tied with Arburr for the team lead in hits with 62.  In 51 games played, of which Cawley started 50, he reached base safely in 47, including 36 straight to close out the season. Cawley had 14 multi-hit games, including six with three or more. For the year, Cawley totaled 62 hits including 15 doubles and one triple while posting a .454 slugging percentage and a .380 on-base percentage. He was also 16-for-19 in stolen base attempts. Among NE-10 leaders, Cawley ranked 7^th in hits, 6^th in doubles, 7^th in total plate appearances (217), 4^th in at-bats (194) and 20^th in batting average. In NE-10 games, Cawley hit .336, good for 6^th in the conference and also posted a .448 slugging percentage, good for 9^th.

Qualben landed on the NE-10 2^nd Team after posting a 7-3 record with a 2.37 earned-run-average.  Qualben finished the year with 80 strikeouts in 68.1 innings pitched while holding opponents to just 51 hits.  Qualben held opponents to two earned runs over his final 24 1/3 innings pitched on the year, including the final 21 while also posting 14 strikeouts in wins over UMass Lowell and American International.  He also passed teammate Matt Reilly in career strikeouts, taking over the top spot with 196 in three seasons. Against NE-10 teams, Qualben was 3-2, including three consecutive wins, with a 1.64 ERA.  Qualben also had 46 strikeouts in 38 1/3 innings pitched while holding opposing teams to 26 hits and seven earned runs out of the 11 scored against him. For the year, Quablen ranked 10^th in opponent's batting average (.190), 3^rd in strikeouts and tied for 3^rd in wins.  Qualben ranked 55^th nationally in ERA and 15^th in strikeouts per nine innings pitched with 10.80.  His seven victories ranked 3^rd all-time at Pace while his 80 strikeouts rank 2^nd all-time at Pace. For his career, he has posted a 15-9 record with a 3.69 ERA in 181 1/3 innings pitched while striking out 196 and holding opposing teams to 133 hits and 74 runs, just 58 of which were earned.

Oakes was named the NE-10 2^nd Team relief pitcher after finished the year at 2-0 with a 1.47 ERA and 13 saves.  Oakes also had 49 strikeouts in 36 2/3 innings pitched while giving up six runs on 14 hits.  Oakes led the conference in saves and ranked 4^th nationally.  For his career, Oakes is 25-for-26 in save opportunities.  He holds the Pace record for saves in a season (13) and career (24).  In the Northeast-10, Oakes ranks 1^st in saves, 2^nd in appearances (24), 2^nd in games finished (23), 2^nd in games in relief (24) and 4^th in batters struck out looking (24).  Oakes was as dominant as a closer could be as opposing teams hit .118 (14-119), while right handed batters hit just .089 (8-90) against Oakes.

Hallberg earned NE-10 All Academic Honors after posting a 6-3 record with a 2.53 ERA while striking out 78 batters overs 78.1 innings pitched and holding teams to 29 runs on 52 hits.  Hallberg has an undecided major with a 3.44 grade-point-average.  Among the NE-10 leaders, Hallberg ranked 4^th in opponent's batting average (.183), 7^th in batters struck out looking (20), tied for 3^rd in games started (11), 6^th in innings pitched, and 4^th in strikeouts.