UMPI’s Villoria named top player
Four others gain D3 honors
PRESQUE ISLE — To win the most games in program history, the University of Maine at Presque Isle baseball team needed to have some pretty talented student-athletes don the blue and gold in 2013. That reasoning was confirmed May 20 when the NCAA Association of Division III Independents released its All-Independent Team for baseball in 2013 and five Owls received special distinctions.
First baseman Carlos Villoria, a senior from Caracas, Venezuela, was named player of the year, while pitcher Jake Fillebrown, a senior from Stoneham, was co-pitcher of the year. The two veterans also were placed on the All-Independent first team.
Pitcher Adam Geel, a freshman from Calais, and shortstop Jordan Duffy, a senior from Fort Augustus, Prince Edward Island, Canada, joined their teammates on the first team at their respective positions.
Owl head coach Leo Saucier was awarded one of two coach of the year honors as well.
Villoria was also named to the 2013 United States Collegiate Athletic Association All-American baseball team. Villoria made the team as an honorable mention.
Statistics and coach’s comments for the other honorees are as follows:
Villoria
By now, Villoria’s stellar 2013 season has been well documented. Earlier in May, he was named a USCAA All-American Honorable Mention. The left-handed hitter demonstrated a smooth swing all year to the tune of 62 hits and a .446 average. Both those marks set new standards in UMPI baseball history. Additionally, Villoria led the team with 16 doubles, 34 RBI and 14 stolen bases. He had 22 multi-hit games.
“Carlos had an exceptional year. When he came to bat, we just about expected him to hit a double in the gap,” Saucier said. “Hitting .450 at any level is quite an accomplishment. He earned it.”
Fillebrown
Fillebrown was 3-5 with a 3.76 earned-run average. That ERA becomes an even more impressive 2.36 if you take out a loss late in the season against NCAA Division I University of Maine. He also had four complete games and two shutouts, while striking out 42 in 52-2/3 innings of work.
“Jake gave us a chance to win no matter who he was pitching against. Several opposing coaches said to me he was one of the best D3 pitchers they ever saw,” Saucier said. “I just wish we could have scored another run or two in his starts. He was always in command on the mound.”
Duffy
Sometimes overshadowed by the accomplishments of his fellow infield teammate, Duffy managed to quietly put up some monster offensive numbers of his own. Duffy hit .379 in 2013 with an on-base percentage of .451. He scored a team-high 30 runs and drove in 20 all while holding down the most demanding position on the infield.
“Jordan had another exceptional year at the plate and opened eyes with his fielding abilities,” Saucier said. “More than a couple of coaches mentioned how smooth he was in the field and how he was always in the right position to make the difficult throws.”
Geel
A newcomer to the Owls this season, Geel felt right at home on the mound. He finished the season with a team-best 3.46 ERA among starters. The rookie right-hander seemed to get stronger as the year went on, picking up two wins and giving up only four runs in his final 18 innings pitched, spanning three starts.
Although he finished the season with a 2-4 record, Saucier thinks those numbers are misleading.
“He could have easily been 4-2 instead of 2-4. An earned run average in the mid threes is outstanding considering the strength of schedule we play,” Saucier said. “He could easily set UMPI pitching records if he continues to develop.”
Saucier
Having officially announced his resignation earlier this month, Saucier leaves the program on a high note. The 16 wins Presque Isle compiled in 2013 is the most in program history. A master of fundraising and recruiting, Saucier’s teams consistently play some of the best programs on the east coast in NCAA Division III. Not only does he have no fear of scheduling those teams, but he plays them all on the road as Maine’s unforgiving spring weather make pre-May home games a near impossibility.
And to play those teams, Saucier recruits tirelessly, this season alone putting together a roster that included players from California, Texas, Canada and Venezuela.
