Army West Point Athletics
Baseball Picked No. 1 in Patriot League Preseason Poll; Dubrule Tabbed as Preseason Defensive Player of the Year
January 31, 2023 | Baseball
BETHLEHEM, PA. — The Army West Point baseball team has been selected first in the Patriot League Preseason poll. Senior Kevin Dubrule was named Patriot League Preseason Defensive Player of the Year. Derek Berg, Ross Friedrick, Dubrule, and Sam Ruta were named 2023 Preseason All-Patriot League announced on Tuesday.
The Black Knights are coming into the season with a successful 2022 season finishing 31-25 and an 18-7 Patriot League record. Army also won their fourth-straight Patriot League Championship. The team also saw four cadet-athletes make the All-League Baseball Team.
2023 Patriot League Preseason Defensive Player of the Year/All-League Baseball Team
Kevin Dubrule, Senior, Shortstop (Venice, Fla.)
Senior Captain Kevin Dubrule enters his 2023 campaign after a stellar 2022 season. Dubrule started in all 56 games, had an average of .321, 45 runs, 17 doubles, one triple, one home run, 47 RBIs, a slugging percentage of .413, an on base percentage of .363, and four stolen bases. Dubrule led the team in both hits (77) and doubles (17). He was also credited with 167 assists and a .975 fielding percentage. Last season, Dubrule was named a semifinalist for the Brooks Wallace Shortstop of the Year Award,
Preseason All-League Baseball Team
Derek Berg, Junior, Center/Utility (Conroe, Texas)
Derek Berg is coming into the season after playing in 52 games and making 49 starts. Berg had a batting average of .307, 35 runs, 54 hits, 31 RBIs, 10 doubles, a triple, two home runs, a slugging percentage of .409, on base percentage of .377, and a career high of 10 stolen bases. He also had a .959 fielding percentage and 117 assists. In the 2022 season, Berg was named First Team All-Patriot League honoree as a second baseman and had 17 multi-hit games throughout the season.
Ross Friedrick, Senior, First base/Outfield (Alpharetta, Ga.)
Co-Captain Ross Friedrick is kicking off the 2023 season after having a breakout 2022 season. Last season, Friedrick started in all 56 games, had a batting average of .340, 40 runs, 13 doubles, six home runs, 48 RBIs, a slugging percentage of .484, and an on-base percentage of .398. In the field Friedrick had a .988 fielding percentage and 21 assists. Last season, Friedrick was second on the team in home runs and had 21 multi-hit games. He also had a season best of five RBIs against Lehigh, having a 3-5 record at the plate. Friedrick was named First Team All-Patriot League as a first baseman and Patriot League All-Tournament Team selection.
Sam Ruta, Junior, Infield (Yardley, Pa.)
Junior infielder Sam Ruta is coming into the 2023 season he started in 51 of 52 games, had 43 runs, 73 hits, 15 doubles, four triples, seven homeruns, 36 RBIs, .626 slugging percentage, .493 on-base percentage, and six stolen bases. Ruta also had 74 assists, and an .884 fielding percentage. Last season Ruta was in the top 25 in the nation in both batting average (25th) and on base percentage (21st). Ruta's .626 slugging percentage was a team best. He also led the team with 22 multi-hit games and totaled 13 multi-RBI games. Last season Ruta also finished the season with a 16-game streak of safely getting on base. Ruta was named 2022 First Team All-Patriot League selection as a third baseman, ABCA/Rawlings First Team All-Northeast Region, Patriot League Tournament MVP, Hattiesburg Regional All-Tournament Team honoree.
2023 Patriot League Baseball Preseason Poll
1. Army West Point, 49, (9 first-place votes)
2. Bucknell, 40, (2)
3. Lehigh, 37, (1)
4. Navy, 25
5. Holy Cross, 19
6. Lafayette, 10
2023 Patriot League Baseball Preseason Major Awards
Preseason Player of the Year: Casey Rother, Lehigh, 5th., OF/RP
Preseason Pitcher of the Year: Luke Rettig, Lehigh, 5th., LHP
Preseason Defensive Player of the Year: Kevin Dubrule, Army West Point, Sr., SS
2023 Preseason All-Patriot League Baseball Team*
SP: Luke Rettig, Lehigh, 5th
SP: Will Greer, Bucknell, Sr.
RP: Luke Fox, Holy Cross, Sr.
C: Derek Berg, Army West Point, Jr.
C: Justin Butler, Lehigh, So.
1B: Ross Friedrick, Army West Point, Sr.
2B: Riley Davis, Lehigh, Jr.
SS: Kevin Dubrule, Army West Point, Sr.
3B: Sam Ruta, Army West Point, Jr.
OF: Grant Voytovich, Bucknell, Jr.
OF: Pete Ciuffreda, Lafayette, Sr.
OF: Casey Rother, Lehigh, 5th
At-Large: Sean Scanlon, Holy Cross, So.
*There is an additional player on the preseason team due to a tie in the voting
The Black Knights kick off the season with a three-game series against Air Force on February 17-19 at the Depot in Cleburne, Texas.
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