Photo by: Ben Solomon/Rutgers Athletics
Eight From Baseball Receive Big Ten Honors
May 23 | Baseball
ROSEMONT, ill. – The Big Ten announced its 2023 all-conference selections on Tuesday morning, with eight members of the Rutgers baseball team receiving recognition.
The Scarlet Knight honors were highlighted First Team selections Ryan Lasko and Christian Coppola.
A true freshman pitcher from Galloway, New Jersey, Christian Coppola is the first true freshman in Rutgers history to be named All-Big Ten First Team. Emerging as the team's Friday night starter, Coppola ranked second among all Big Ten starters with a 3.60 ERA, while his 13 strikeouts against Penn State were the most by any Big Ten player in the in a conference game. Coppola was also recognized as part of the Big Ten All-Freshman Team.
A junior outfielder from Jackson, New Jersey, Lasko becomes the first player in program history to be named All-Big Ten First Team multiple times after receiving the honor last year. Lasko finished the regular season with a team-best .332 average, 32 extra-base hits, 73 hits, 58 runs scored while adding 11 home runs and 52 RBIs.
Senior infielder Chris Brito, a native of Perth Amboy, New Jersey, was named to the All-Big Ten Second Team. It is the highest conference honor for Brito, who finished the regular season red hot and enters the Big Ten Tournament with a .308 average and leads the team with 14 home runs, 55 RBIs and a 1.029 OPS.
Junior pitcher Drew Conover, a native of Pittstown, New Jersey, was named to the All-Big Ten Third Team in his first year on the Banks after transferring from Seton Hall. Conover served as a key member of the weekend rotation, pitching to a 5-4 record with a 4.50 ERA and leading the team with his 64.0 innings pitched and 79 strikeouts. He registered six quality starts and struck out seven or more batters in six of his starts as well.
Junior pitcher Ben Gorski, a Chatham, New Jersey native, was named to the All-Big Ten Third Team after a breakout season in the bullpen. Gorski pitched the final four innings of RU's combined no-hitter of Georgia Southern and served as the team's closer, collecting eight saves on the season. He currently has a 2.77 ERA in 39.0 innings with 46 strikeouts on the season.
Junior outfielder Evan Sleight, a Framingham, Massachusetts native, had a career year for RU to earn his first-ever all-conference honors with a selection to the All-Big Ten Third Team. In his third year as an everyday starter in the outfield, Sleight set career highs with 12 home runs, 13 doubles, 51 runs scored and 32 walks.
Freshman outfielder Trevor Cohen, a native of Brigantine, New Jersey, joins Coppola on the Big Ten All-Freshman Team. Cohen started all 54 games for Rutgers in the outfield and collected a .288 batting average. He was the second-toughest player to strike out in the Big Ten, striking out just once every 9.6 plate appearances. His 61 hits tied for third on the team and his 33 RBIs tied for fifth. He walked 25 times to just 22 strikeouts, which were the fewest among all qualified RU hitters,
Senior catcher Andy Axelson rounds out the postseason honors for Rutgers as the recipient of the Big Ten Sportsmanship Award. A Roxbury, New Jersey native, Axelson had a breakout year in his final season at Rutgers, batting a career-best .315 with five home runs and 25 RBIs after having no home runs and just eight career RBIs heading into the season. As a fifth-year senior, Axelson also provided invaluable leadership for the Scarlet Knights and represented the program the right way in his final season representing RU.
The Scarlet Knight honors were highlighted First Team selections Ryan Lasko and Christian Coppola.
A true freshman pitcher from Galloway, New Jersey, Christian Coppola is the first true freshman in Rutgers history to be named All-Big Ten First Team. Emerging as the team's Friday night starter, Coppola ranked second among all Big Ten starters with a 3.60 ERA, while his 13 strikeouts against Penn State were the most by any Big Ten player in the in a conference game. Coppola was also recognized as part of the Big Ten All-Freshman Team.
A junior outfielder from Jackson, New Jersey, Lasko becomes the first player in program history to be named All-Big Ten First Team multiple times after receiving the honor last year. Lasko finished the regular season with a team-best .332 average, 32 extra-base hits, 73 hits, 58 runs scored while adding 11 home runs and 52 RBIs.
Senior infielder Chris Brito, a native of Perth Amboy, New Jersey, was named to the All-Big Ten Second Team. It is the highest conference honor for Brito, who finished the regular season red hot and enters the Big Ten Tournament with a .308 average and leads the team with 14 home runs, 55 RBIs and a 1.029 OPS.
Junior pitcher Drew Conover, a native of Pittstown, New Jersey, was named to the All-Big Ten Third Team in his first year on the Banks after transferring from Seton Hall. Conover served as a key member of the weekend rotation, pitching to a 5-4 record with a 4.50 ERA and leading the team with his 64.0 innings pitched and 79 strikeouts. He registered six quality starts and struck out seven or more batters in six of his starts as well.
Junior pitcher Ben Gorski, a Chatham, New Jersey native, was named to the All-Big Ten Third Team after a breakout season in the bullpen. Gorski pitched the final four innings of RU's combined no-hitter of Georgia Southern and served as the team's closer, collecting eight saves on the season. He currently has a 2.77 ERA in 39.0 innings with 46 strikeouts on the season.
Junior outfielder Evan Sleight, a Framingham, Massachusetts native, had a career year for RU to earn his first-ever all-conference honors with a selection to the All-Big Ten Third Team. In his third year as an everyday starter in the outfield, Sleight set career highs with 12 home runs, 13 doubles, 51 runs scored and 32 walks.
Freshman outfielder Trevor Cohen, a native of Brigantine, New Jersey, joins Coppola on the Big Ten All-Freshman Team. Cohen started all 54 games for Rutgers in the outfield and collected a .288 batting average. He was the second-toughest player to strike out in the Big Ten, striking out just once every 9.6 plate appearances. His 61 hits tied for third on the team and his 33 RBIs tied for fifth. He walked 25 times to just 22 strikeouts, which were the fewest among all qualified RU hitters,
Senior catcher Andy Axelson rounds out the postseason honors for Rutgers as the recipient of the Big Ten Sportsmanship Award. A Roxbury, New Jersey native, Axelson had a breakout year in his final season at Rutgers, batting a career-best .315 with five home runs and 25 RBIs after having no home runs and just eight career RBIs heading into the season. As a fifth-year senior, Axelson also provided invaluable leadership for the Scarlet Knights and represented the program the right way in his final season representing RU.
Big Ten Awards
First Team: Christian Coppola, Ryan Lasko
Second Team: Chris Brito
Third Team: Drew Conover, Ben Gorski, Evan Sleight
All-Freshman: Trevor Cohen, Christian Coppola
Big Ten Sportsmanship Award: Andy Axelson
Second Team: Chris Brito
Third Team: Drew Conover, Ben Gorski, Evan Sleight
All-Freshman: Trevor Cohen, Christian Coppola
Big Ten Sportsmanship Award: Andy Axelson
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