Princeton University Athletics
Kappel, Stiller, Venable Named First-Team All-Ivy In Baseball
May 06, 2005 | Baseball
May 6, 2005
Princeton, N.J. - Senior reliever Brian Kappel, junior starting pitcher Erik Stiller and senior centerfielder Will Venable were named First Team All-Ivy earlier today. Junior catcher Zach Wendkos was named to the league's second team, while sophomore Sal Iacono and junior Andrew Salini received honorable mentions.
Stiller led the Tigers' starting pitching staff with a 2.98 ERA and a 6-2 record. He struck out 49 batters in 54 and a third innings and had two complete-game shutouts. He was 4-1 in Ivy games, defeating Brown, Harvard, Penn and Columbia, and had a 3.16 ERA and opponents hit just .242 against him. Stiller was the Ivy League Pitcher of the Week once during the season and this is his first All-Ivy award.
Kappel received his second unanimous selection as first-team All-Ivy. Princeton's closer led all league relief pitchers with a 0.82 league ERA in eight appearances. He had three saves in Ivy play as opponents hit just .059 against him. He also picked up two wins in Ivy games as he averaged over a strikeout an inning. In total on the season, he went 2-1 with five saves in 15 appearances.
Venable was also a unanimous choice for first-team All-Ivy. Venable led the Tigers' hitters with a .390 average. He had 55 hits, 32 RBIs, scored 35 runs and hit nine home runs. Venable hit .380 in Ivy games with 20 RBIs and six home runs. Last season he was an honorable mention All-Ivy. It was his fourth All-Ivy award as he was a first-team All-Ivy guard in men's basketball as a junior and second-team as a senior. The last Ivy Leaguer to be named All-Ivy in baseball and basketball was Chris Young, now a starting pitcher with the Texas Rangers. This season was the second consecutive year and the seventh overall that Princeton had three players named to the first team. Other years when Princeton had at least three are 1970, 1971, 1985, 1986, 1996, 2000 and 2004.
Junior catcher Zach Wendkos was named to the Ivy League's second team. Wendkos led all Ivy League catchers in average, batting .333 overall and .371 in Ivy League games. Wendkos hit three homers on the season and had 16 RBIs.
Sophomore third baseman Sal Iacono and junior right fielder Andrew Salini received honorable mentions. For Salini it was his second straight mention. Iacono hit .288 in Ivy play and .239 overall, while Salini batted .378 overall and .338 in the Ivy League.