Endicott Earns Nine All-Conf. Selections, Kochiss Named CCC Player Of The Year

CCC ALL-CONFERENCE RELEASE

BEVERLY, Mass. – Endicott junior third baseman Mike Kochiss (Fairfield, Conn.) headlined a group of nine Endicott student-athletes who were recognized on the 2016 Commonwealth Coast Conference (CCC) Baseball All-Conference teams with Player of the Year and All-CCC first team honors on Wednesday afternoon.

Kochiss is joined on the All-CCC first team by senior pitchers JJ Branch (Milford, Mass.) and Davarn Nova (Buzzards Bay, Mass.), while Michael DeDonato (Chelmsford, Mass.), Nick Berno (St. Albans, Vt.) and Anthony Serina (Portsmouth, R.I.) were all selected to the All-CCC second team. Will Ferreira (Nantucket, Mass.), Chris Seidl (Dracut, Mass.) and Matthew Paola (Middlebury, Conn.) rounded out the list of All-Conference honors for the Gulls as third team selections.

As a team, Endicott earned a Sportsmanship Award along with Wentworth.

ALL-CCC FIRST TEAM

MIKE KOCHISS | CCC PLAYER OF THE YEAR | JUNIOR | 3B | FAIRFIELD, CONN.

Kochiss currently sports a slash line of .400/.441/.600 (.avg/.obp./slg) to go along with 26 runs, 54 hits, 14 doubles, two triples, three home runs, 39 RBI, and 10 walks. Kochiss also holds several top-5 CCC ranks (H, 2B, HR, RBI, TB, SF, SAC, BA, SLG) and has put together a team-best 16-game hitting streak so far this season. In addition to his gaudy stats, Kochiss has compiled 16 multi-hit games and 10 multi-RBI games (both team-highs) during his junior campaign.

JJ BRANCH | SENIOR | RHP | MILFORD, MASS.

In 10 starts this season, Branch is 6-1 overall with a 2.23 earned run average (ERA) and 37 strikeouts in 64 2/3 innings pitched. Branch leads the CCC in games started, wins, and innings pitched, and also ranks sixth in ERA. Branch has also averaged at least six innings in every start this season, held opponents to a .232 batting average despite leading the conference in at-bats against (237), and ranks first on the team in fly outs per game (10.99).

DAVARN NOVA | SENIOR | RHP | BUZZARDS BAY, MASS.

Nova, who has acted as a swingman for the pitching staff, has registered a 6-3 record, two saves, a 3.38 ERA and 29 strikeouts in 40 innings pitched (17 appearances, three starts) this season. Among the rest of the pitchers in the conference, Nova ranks tied for first in wins, second in appearances, and fourth in saves. Nova also ranks first on the team in ground ball rate (13.95 per game, min. 20 IP), and has made five relief appearances of over two innings this season.

ALL-CCC SECOND TEAM

MICHAEL DEDONATO | SOPHOMORE | 2B | CHELMSFORD, MASS.

DeDonato is currently hitting .338/.405/.473 with 35 runs scored, 50 hits, nine doubles, one triple, three home runs, 21 RBI, 12 walks, and 13 stolen bases. DeDonato also ranks second on the team in multi-hit games (14) and multi-RBI contests (7), and fifth in the conference in stolen bases.

NICK BERNO | SOPHOMORE | OF | ST. ALBANS, VT.

In 31 games played this season, Berno ranks first in the CCC in on-base percentage (.485) and fourth in batting average (.402) to go along with 33 hits (5 2B, 1 3B, 1 HR), 17 runs scored, and 10 stolen bases (10th in CCC). The Gulls are 16-6 when Berno is slotted in the leadoff spot this season, and 14-6 overall when he plays in left field.

ANTHONY SERINA | SENIOR | DH | PORTSMOUTH, R.I.

Serina has put together a stellar season as Endicott's designated hitter batting to a tune of .322/.396/.496 to go along with 22 runs, 39 hits, six doubles, three triples, three homers, and 19 RBI. Serina, who has aided the Gulls to a 22-11 record when he is in the lineup as the designated hitter, ranks second in the conference in triples and inside the top-30 in batting average, on-base and slugging percentage.

ALL-CCC THIRD TEAM

WILL FERREIRA | SOPHOMORE | LHP | NANTUCKET, MASS.

Ferreira has posted a 3-1 record, a 2.72 ERA, and 32 strikeouts in 36 1/3 innings pitched over six starts this season. Ferreira earned his first collegiate win in his first career start against the reigning NCAA Division III champion and No. 1 nationally ranked Cortland State Red Dragons on March 15 (5 IP, 6 K), and has produced a quality start (6 IP, 3 ER or less) in every start this year for the Gulls.

CHRIS SEIDL | FRESHMAN | 1B | DRACUT, MASS.

In 37 games played this season, Seidl is hitting .294/.354/.421 with 22 runs, 37 hits, seven doubles, three home runs, and 25 RBI. Seidl also has put together nine multi-hit games, and five multi-RBI games during his freshman campaign. Along with his offensive stats, Seidl ranks first in the CCC in total chances (362), and put outs, and third in fielding percentage (.992, min. 100 total chances). As a team, the Gulls are first in the CCC in fielding percentage (.970) and sixth nationally.

MATTHEW PAOLA | SENIOR | OF | MIDDLEBURY, CONN.

Paola currently sports a .269/.353/.366 slash line alongside 26 runs, 36 hits, three doubles, two triples, two homers, 24 RBI, and 15 walks. Paola also has produced an 11-game hit streak this season, and six multi-hit and multi-RBI games, respectively. Defensively, Paola has started 36 games in right field (24-12 record), two games at short (2-0), and one at first (0-1).

WHAT'S NEXT

Second-seeded Endicott (26-13, 13-3 CCC) will host fifth-seeded Gordon this Thursday at 3 p.m. in the CCC Tournament at North Field.

Endicott earned the No. 2 seed in the conference tournament, which features a double elimination format, after posting a 13-3 record in league play this season. Western New England claimed the No. 1 seed in the CCC Tournament by winning a tie-breaker against the Gulls. Both teams split with No. 3-seed Nichols, but the Golden Bears' sweep of No. 4-seed Salve Regina gave them the edge over Endicott. Curry rounds out the postseason field as the No. 6 seed in the tournament. 

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