The City University of New York Athletic Conference announced its year-end baseball awards late Monday evening, and the Lehman College baseball team received a number of impressive honors. First and foremost, Head Coach John Quirk, in just his second year with the Lightning, was named Coach of the Year after a stellar season that saw Lehman improve its win total by 10 games and make the CUNYAC playoffs for the first time since 2003. In addition, senior Jhonny Reyes and sophomore Gilbert Garcia were named First Team All-Stars, and sophomore Amadoernesto Guzman and junior Emmanuel Vera were Second Team honorees.
John Quirk earned the accolade by helping the Lightning become a respectable force in the CUNY baseball once again. After a nine win season in 2007, the Lightning recorded 19 victories and put forth a 9-6 conference record in 2008 thanks to a fine combination of contribution from polished veterans and aspiring first-year players. The Lightning solidified their berth in the tournament and went on to capture a game against Mitchell College before being ousted by Staten Island in a contest to decide which team would face John Jay in the championship. Under Quirk's tutelage, the Lightning became a powerful offensive unit, averaging 7.7 runs per contest, second-best to John Jay's 8.7 runs per game. Lehman's pitching also underwent a tremendous transformation from the year before, as hurlers Emmanuel Vera, Gilbert Garcia, and Steve Rodriguez helped guide the Lightning to a winning conference mark with gritty pitching. In all, Coach Quirk got the most out of his players by instilling confidence in his group.
“We had a tremendous group of guys this year who were very hungry and wanted to win,” Quirk said. “I felt as though most of the seniors did great jobs not only with their production but with their abilities to motivate and guide the younger players through the season. We definitely took a huge step forward this year, and it's an honor for me to receive such a proud award.”
Jhonny Reyes' First-Team selection was a no-brainer as the speedster was Lehman's most dependable offensive threat during this season. Many classified him as the fastest player in the conference, as he made good on 44 of his 48 stolen base attempts. He finished second in the conference with a .448 batting average, third in slugging percentage (.645), second in on-base percentage (.540), first in runs scored (58), third in hits (66), and fourth in total bases (91). Garcia, playing in his first season at Lehman, became a mainstay hitting in the No. 3 slot in Lehman's prolific lineup, as he finished ninth in the conference in RBI's (32), seventh in doubles (12), and ninth in total bases (72).
Amadoernesto Guzman earned Second-Team praise for his phenomenal season. He provided a power stroke for Lehman, smashing 13 doubles, and driving home 34 runs, both team-bests. Emmanuel Vera, also a Second-Team selection, became the team's stopper this past season. He recorded a spirited 6-4 record, striking out 59 batters in just over 56 innings pitched. His reputation as a player who would step up when his team needed him only grew as the season progressed.
“I'm very proud of all of these recipients,” Quirk added. “They all played pivotal roles this season and they played hard each and every game. I'm happy to be getting three of them back next season, and I believe they will only get better. We're going to miss having Jhonny Reyes at the top of our lineup. Players like that are hard to replace, but hopefully players that had the chance to see what he did this year appreciate the way he played the game and learn from his character and dedication.”
The Lightning finished the 2008 season with an overall mark of 19-16. Looking ahead to the 2009 season, the team will set its sights on capturing its first conference title since 1995.
