Bercume, McNeil, Pyburn Earn All-Conference Honors

NORTH ANDOVER, MA – Jeff Bercume (Leicester, MA), Ryan McNeil (Lynnfield, MA) and Brendan Pyburn (Peabody, MA) were named to the Northeast-10 All-Conference team on Monday.

Bercume, a first-team selection, was fourth in the conference with a .385 batting average, while leading the league with 23 steals. He added five homers, 46 RBIs, and a .447 on-base percentage, all tops on the Warriors. The centerfielder departs the program with 230 hits, most in school history, while earning three first-team all-conference selections.

McNeil became the ace and the ironman of the staff this season, posting a 6-2 record with four saves and a 2.39 E.R.A. in 67.2 innings. Projected as the team’s closer to start the season, the junior made four starts after injuries in the rotation, and responded with three complete game victories, including a 6-2 win against NE-10 champion Franklin Pierce. Opponents hit just .229 against McNeil, tops on the team.

Pyburn, an all-conference selection for the second straight season, was second to Bercume with a .299 batting average and led the team with 35 runs and 17 walks. He had a team-best 14-game hitting streak, getting 24 knocks in 59 at-bats from April 19 to May 2.

Ten Franklin Pierce players made the team, including Kyle Vazquez, who was the Pitcher of the Year. Mike Baillargeon from Assumption earned Player of the Year honors, while his coach George Reidy was the Coach of the Year. Mike Dowd from Franklin Pierce and Ryan Geffert from SCSU were the Co-Freshmen of the Year, while Lowell’s Jack Leathersich earned Freshman Pitcher of the Year honors.