Erickson, Salcines Among Award Recipients

May 16, 2012

CORAL GABLES, Fla. — The University of Miami baseball coaches announced the team’s annual award recipients, honored during Tuesday’s home finale against Florida Gulf Coast University at Alex Rodriguez Park.

Highlighting the awards presentation was lefthander AJ Salcines, who earned Hurricane MVP honors after a stellar sophomore campaign. As one of the team’s top relievers, the Miami, Fla. native, who ranks second in the Atlantic Coast Conference with 32 appearances, boasts a team-low 1.39 ERA. On the year, Salcines has picked up four saves, allowing only five earned runs in 32.1 innings of work.

One of the team’s most decorated veterans added to his trophy shelf on Tuesday night, as Eric Erickson took home the Ron Fraser Award, given annually to the team’s top pitcher. The Sarasota, Fla. native, the only player on the roster who has pitched in the College World Series, boasts a team-best eight wins and an impressive 2.96 ERA.  He has struck out 61 batters through 13 starts while walking only 11. Erickson also earned recognition as the Bob Werner Award recipient, given to the player who best exemplifies the qualities of a winner.

Fellow co-captain Peter O’Brien earned two awards as well: Homerun Champion and the Arnold Novins Award, voted as a fan favorite. The Miami Gardens, Fla. native, who transferred to Miami for his final season after three years at Bethune-Cookman, has missed recent action while recovering from injury but still boasts some of the top offensive numbers in the conference. O’Brien leads the team with a .354 batting average, and has belted a team-best 10 homeruns to go along with a team-high 38 RBI’s.

Wrapping up the awards was Garrett Kennedy, who earned Freshman of the Year honors. Kennedy, who has stepped up in place of O’Brien and started nearly every game behind the plate in his place, has helped guide the pitching staff to an impressive combined 2.98 ERA.