BSP’s Harrington wins Joe Logue Trophy after triple-crown season
LAWRENCE » The Mercer County American Legion League capped another successful regular season with its annual awards picnic Wednesday night at Lawrence Post 414.
It was a historical event in that for only the fourth time in the league’s 89year history a Triple Crown trophy was presented.
Broad Street Park Post 313’s Kyle Harrington was the league’s Bill Leary Memorial Batting Champion with a .485 average after hitting 33-for-68. He was the Fred Schmitt Memorial RBI Champion with 25 runs batted in, and Harrington tied for the MCALL’s home run championship with Princeton Post 218’s Luke Franzoni, both of whom hit four homers.
In doing so, Harrington became the first MCALL Triple Crown winner since Bordentown Post 26’s Zack Gakeler won the award in 2015. The only other MCALL players to claim such an honor were Ewing Post 314’s Fred Walters, the former player and coach for whom the field at Frank Moody Park is named, and Hamilton Post 31’s Carlos Cabrera-Brackley, who was inducted into the Steinert Hall of Fame this spring.
“I didn’t know I was getting all five awards,” said Harrington, who was also chosen by the league coaches as the Joe Logue Player of the Year. “Coming back from my knee and ankle injuries, I started off slow. Later in the season, people told me I was close in those categories, but I didn’t think I had a shot. So I played out the rest of the season with no pressure.”
It was a impressive night for Post 313. Despite finishing second in the standings behind three-time outright league champion Hopewell Post 339, Broad St. Park had nine big award winners.
Besides Harrington’s awards, Mike Petrowski was selected by his peers as John L. Shanders Manager of the Year, Tim Sharpley was picked as Lou Massella Pitcher of the Year and Earned Run Average champion, while Connor Hayes received the Sam Abraham Sportsmanship Award.
The MCALL’s other major award winners this summer were Hopewell Post 339’s Nick Psomaras, who took home the Bus Saidt Most Valuable Player honor, and Kenny Tagliareni, who was chosen as Hap Puca Rookie of the Year; Princeton Post 218’s Chris Murdock, who was the MCALL’s strikeout champion; Lawrence Post 414’s Aidan Jodoin, who was the league’s stolen base champion as well as a team sportsmanship award winner; plus Hamilton Post 31’s Joey Sacco, who earned the Ed McGlone Gold Glove, while his manager Rick Freeman received the Chuck Giambelluca Dedication & Service to the MCALL Award.