Liberty League announces 2023 Baseball Awards; Skidmore's Hornung honored as Player of the Year

The Liberty League has announced its 2023 Baseball Major Awards and All-League teams following a vote by the conference's 11 head coaches prior to the postseason.
 
Player of the Year: Jackson Hornung, Senior, Catcher, Skidmore College
 
For the second consecutive year, Skidmore's Jackson Hornung has been recognized with Liberty League Player of the Year honors. It is the third time since 2019, a Skidmore player has been named Player of the Year. Hornung continued to dominate at the plate for the Thoroughbreds, finishing the year with a .424 batting average, a .803 slugging percentage, and a .560 on-base percentage. He paced the league in slugging and on-base while ranking third in batting average. In 39 games, he drove in a team-high 41 runs while scoring a team-best 51 runs and totaling 106 bases on the year. Hornung was also tops among league leaders in runs scored (51), and walks (37). He was second in home runs (12) and tied for fifth in runs batted in (41). Hornung is among Division III's top hitters; ranking 8th in on-base, 19th in slugging, and t-68th in batting average. He posted 14 multi-hit games and had three or more seven times. He also had a team-high 11 multi-RBI games, including six with three or more. Hornung stole 10 bases on the year and recorded 20 fielding assists (4 outfield, 16 catcher) to go along with 191 putouts.
 
Pitcher of the Year: Nolan Sparks, Junior, University of Rochester
 
For the first time since 2012, a University of Rochester pitcher has been selected the Liberty League Pitcher of the Year with Nolan Sparks garnering the accolade. Sparks finished the year with an unblemished 7-0 record and a 2.76 earned run average across 11 starts. He struck out 77, issued 22 walks, and allowed 53 hits in 62.0 innings. Sparks closed out his junior season among the top 50 in Division III for wins. He also led the league in wins while ranking second in ERA and strikeouts, and he was fourth in innings pitched. In conference play, Sparks posted a league-low 1.67 ERA (6-0) while striking out 58 (1st) in 42 innings (3rd) and holding batters to just .185 (1st).
 
Rookie of the Year: Colton Avera, Infield, University of Rochester
 
University of Rochester first-year Colton Avera was named the Liberty League Rookie of the Year. Avera hit the ground running with the Yellowjackets as the team's only first-year this season. He immediately earned a starting role with the squad, making 40 starts and playing in 40 games out of a possible 42. Avera finished the year with a .331 batting average, good for fourth on the team with 53 hits in 160 at-bats. He recorded a team- and league-best 17 doubles, as well as two triples, and four home runs. His 39 runs batted in were second on the team and among the top 10 in the Liberty League (t-8th).
 
Coaching Staff of the Year: Skidmore College – Ron Plourde, Head Coach; Assistant Coaches Pat Geiger, Jonathan Kaiser, J.T. Tellstone, and John Barnes
 
Skidmore College head coach Ron Plourde and his staff earned Liberty League Coaching Staff of the Year honors. The Thoroughbreds were the Liberty League East Division Champions for the second straight year and moved on to the four-team double-elimination tournament as the second seed. The coaching staff directed Skidmore to a 24-16 overall record and a 13-5 league mark (9-3 East Division). The Thoroughbreds won all four of their in-division series and were 4-2 in six games against the West Division during the regular season. As a team, Skidmore had a .305 batting average and a 5.37 earned run average, good for sixth and third respectively among league leaders.
 

ALL-LIBERTY LEAGUE FIRST TEAM

P-Kyle Lambert, Sr., Ithaca
P-Aidan Risse, Jr., Bard
P-Nolan Sparks, Jr., Rochester
P-Trevor Van Allen, Gr., Rochester
RP-Mark Aaronson, So., Rochester
C-Jackson Hornung, Sr., Skidmore
1B-Martin Marintchev, Sr., RPI
2B-Reid Lapekas, Jr., Vassar
3B-Ethan Rothstein, Jr., Ithaca
SS- Jackson Reed, Jr., Rochester
OF-Garrett Callaghan, Gr., Ithaca
OF-Andrew Kanellis, Sr., Vassar
OF-Aaron Whitley, Sr., Rochester
DH-Colby Brouillette, Sr., Clarkson
DH-Jono Santos, Sr., Union
UTL-Jared Toby, Sr., Bard
 
ALL-LIBERTY LEAGUE SECOND TEAM

P-John Arnold, Jr., RIT
P-Garrett Bell, Sr., Ithaca
P-Ameer Hasan, Jr., Skidmore
P-Chris Suter, So., Union
RP-Eric Sipling, Gr., RIT
C-John Moses, Sr., Rochester
1B-Timothy Connor, So., St. Lawrence
2B-Joseph Rende, Gr., Rochester
3B-Trey Bourque, So., Skidmore
SS-Randy Dodig, Jr., RIT
OF-John Bagley, Jr., RIT
OF-Louis Fabbo, Jr., Ithaca
OF-Josh Leadem, Jr., Rochester
DH-Julian Scarpa, So., RPI
UTL-Anthony Petersen, Sr., Skidmore
 

ALL-LIBERTY LEAGUE HONORABLE MENTION
 
P-Michael Came, Jr., Vassar