2015 MSA Sports Diamond Studs

By: HSSN Staff
Friday, June 19, 2015 | 1:53 PM

The MSA Sports Diamond Studs all-star team is well-armed.

The team is made up of the top 10 players in the WPIAL, regardless of position. More than past years, the 2015 team is extremely heavy on pitchers. Some might play other positions also, but eight of the 10 players on this year’s team made big impacts as pitchers.

This year’s team has six seniors, three juniors and a sophomore. It also includes six players who have either signed or made verbal commitments to Division I colleges. Two of those six are non-seniors, including a sophomore who has already committed to a national powerhouse college program.

Here is a look at the Diamond Studs and the Player of the Year.

PLAYER OF THE YEAR:

BRANDON DONOVAN, STEEL VALLEY
Pitcher/Infielder Sr.

Many Steel Valley opponents were done in by Donovan.

Whether pitching, hitting or playing the field, Donovan excelled. He was one of the best all-around players in Western Pennsylvania. As a pitcher, Donovan was 8-2 and had a 1.38 ERA for a team that made the WPIAL Class AA semifinals and qualified for the PIAA playoffs. He pitched 66 innings and averaged nearly two strikeouts an inning with 124. He allowed only 41 hits and walked 16.

At the plate, Donovan was one of the WPIAL’s leading hitters, finishing with a .576 average. He had 14 doubles, 22 RBIs and 24 runs scored.

Donovan helped Steel Valley win the WPIAL title a year ago. His two-year record was 15-2 with 202 strikeouts in 102 innings. His ERA was below 2.00 both seasons and he had 59 RBIs in two seasons.

Donovan will play next season at Radford University, a Division I school that made the NCAA tournament this season.

DOM DeRENZO, PITTSBURGH CENTRAL CATHOLIC
Catcher Sr.

DeRenzo was taken by the Chicago Cubs in the 40^th round of the Major League Baseball draft. He was the only WPIAL player who was drafted. Don’t look for DeRenzo to sign with the Cubs. He already had signed a letter of intent with the University of Oklahoma.

Central Catholic won its first WPIAL baseball title this season and DeRenzo played a key role. He batted .435 with three home runs, 18 RBIs and 28 runs scored.

AUSTIN KITCHEN, MOUNT LEBANON
Pitcher Sr.

Mount Lebanon used Kitchen’s utensils to win a section title this season. Kitchen was a superb pitcher for the Blue Devils, tying for third in the WPIAL for most wins during the regular season with six. He finished 6-1 and overwhelmed opponents at times. Teams hit only .150 against him and he struck out 85 in 51 innings. His ERA was 2.29.

Kitchen will play next season at Coastal Carolina.

ALEX KIRILOFF, PLUM
Pitcher/Outfielder Jr.

Kiriloff was one of the top all-around players in WPIAL Class AAAA. He hit .500 with nine doubles, six home runs, 24 runs and 29 RBIs. His six home runs were second-best in the WPIAL during the regular season. But he also was a force as a pitcher. Kiriloff was 5-1 with 34 strikeouts and a 1.55 ERA.

Kiriloff still has a year left at Plum. But after that he will play at Liberty University, a Division I college in Virginia.

JAKE POTOCK, SHALER
Pitcher Sr.

Potock became known as Jake Postseason for the Titans. Shaler won four postseason games and made it to the WPIAL and PIAA Class AAAA semifinals. Potock was the winning pitcher in all four of those postseason wins. He finished the season with an 8-2 record and a 2.00 ERA. He pitched 77 innings and struck out 98.

Potock has signed with West Virginia University.

COLE SHINSKY, KNOCH
Pitcher-First base Jr.

When Knoch played it Cole this season, the Knights won. Shinsky finished with a perfect 10-0 record and helped Knoch win WPIAL and PIAA Class AAAA championships. This from a team that had one postseason win before this year.

Shinsky won five postseason games and he allowed only 44 hits in 70 1/3 innings. He struck out 85 and had a 1.29 ERA. Shinsky was excellent in the postseason also, going 5-0.

Some Division I colleges are expressing interest in Shinsky.

TRENT VIETMEIER, MONTOUR
Pitcher-First base Soph.

Vietmeier is one of the young pitching stars in the WPIAL. During the season, he accepted a scholarship from LSU, one of the top baseball programs in the NCAA.

A hard-throwing right-hander, Vietmeier was 5-3 with one save. He was on the varsity as a freshman, but was used as a relief pitcher. This year, he developed into a starter and had a 0.85 ERA. He allowed only 26 hits in 49 1/3 innings and struck out 62.

JOE CAMPAGNA, BLACKHAWK
Shortstop Sr.

This was Campagna’s year to shine as he moved from second base to shortstop. He finished with a .475 average. He showed unusual power for a shortstop, smacking five regular-season home runs, which tied for third in the WPIAL. He also had 21 RBIs and didn’t strike out once this year.

Campagna will play next season at Slippery Rock University.

ZACH SALMON, WEST MIFFLIN
Pitcher Sr.

As pitchers go, Salmon was one of the WPIAL’s big fish. He finished 8-1. But during the regular season, he led the WPIAL in pitching wins with eight and was also fourth in strikeouts with 60.

Salmon will play next season at Alderson-Broaddus.

FRANK FRASCHETTI, NESHANNOCK
Pitcher Jr.

Neshannock won WPIAL and PIAA Class AA championships and Fraschetti fueled the title runs. He became the first pitcher ever to pitch a shutout in a WPIAL championship and another in the PIAA title game.

Fraschetti was unbeatable in the postseason, finishing 5-0 and giving up only 22 hits and four runs in 43 1/3 innings. Overall, he was 10-1 with one save. He pitched 85 1/3 innings and struck out 103. He had a 1.31 ERA.

Fraschetti also had a .378 batting average with 21 runs and 16 RBIs.

Tags: Blackhawk, Knoch, West Mifflin