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Leonard, Bashioum hit, pitch to success in baseball's D-I
The University of Pittsburgh's baseball team is nationally ranked, and the Panthers' second-leading hitter this spring has been Connellsville Area High School graduate Joe Leonard.
A 6-foot-5, 220-pound junior third baseman, Leonard has played and started in 38 of the Panthers' 39 games so far in 2010. He is batting .441.
He also has a .500 on-base percentage and made just four errors in 109 chances for a .963 fielding percentage.
In a wild 21-9 victory over cross-town rival Duquesne on April 14, Leonard achieved the rare cycle. He was 5-for-5 on the evening with two singles, a double, a triple and a home run, including four RBI and three runs scored.
The versatile right-hander also has made nine appearances on the mound and earned a team-high six saves. He has struck out 13 batters in 10 innings pitched and owns a 3.60 ERA, having allowed just 10 hits, four earned runs and four walks.
Leonard batted .316 and was third among all hitters on the team with 54 hits in 171 at-bats in 2009.
Coached by 13th-year veteran Joe Jordano, 24th-ranked Pittsburgh was 29-10 overall with an 11-3 mark in the Big East Conference as of April 25.
Bashioum pitches wellBelle Vernon Area High School graduate and standout pitcher Samuel Bashioum is making a solid contribution as a freshman at the University of Maryland Baltimore County.
A 6-foot-3, 175-pound right-hander, Bashioum has made 10 appearances for the Retrievers.
He has hurled 16.1 innings in the 10 games and allowed 24 hits and six earned runs for a team-best 3.31 ERA. He has struck out 13 batters and walked nine batters.
Under the guidance of 33-year veteran head coach John Jancuska, the Retrievers own a 7-23 overall record and 3-6 conference mark.
An honors university in Baltimore, UMBC is a NCAA Division I school that competes in the American East Conference.
During his four-year scholastic career, Bashioum played every position except shortstop.
In 2009, he won five games with 50 strikeouts and only 16 walks.
Offensively, Bashioum led the Leopards with 22 runs scored and five stolen bases. He also hit .450 with runners in scoring position and added 15 walks and 12 runs batted in.
A three-time All-Section pitching selection, he was also Belle Vernon's Pitcher of the Year and Most Valuable Player last spring.
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