June 2, 2008

2008 All-Big 5 Baseball Team

PHILADELPHIA - In voting conducted among the area's head coaches and SIDs, La Salle University Baseball players John Rickards and Justin Handler were named to the All-Philadelphia Big 5 Baseball Team.

Rickards was the catalyst this season for the Explorers, as he led La Salle in 13 offensive categories (.348 BA, 44 R, 63 H, 13 2B, 6 3B, 8 HR, 42 RBI, 112 TB, .619 SL%, .472 OB%, 24 BB, 21 HBP, 15 SB).

Those numbers also includes ranking in the top 25 nationally in triples and hit by pitches. He also became the first Explorer since 1999 to score at least 40 runs and drive in 40 more.

This season, the senior finished in top 10 in a single season at La Salle in runs (10th), 2Bs (T-10th), 3Bs (T-2nd), RBI (T-7th), and total bases (T-4th). He also finished his career in the top 10 at school in seven categories, including 1st in triples (17), becoming the first Explorer ever with three seasons with at least 5.

The other categories are at bats (7th, 632), hits (6th, 211), doubles (T-5th, 38), home runs (T-5th, 20), RBI (6th, 122), and total bases (5th, 355). He was also two runs scored and three stolen bases shy of reaching the top 10 in those categories.

In the last month of the season (10 games), Rickards batted .467, with a .900 slugging percentage and a .660 on-base percentage. In the last five A-10 series, in which La Salle won four and were 9-6, Rickards batted .417 with 15 RBI and 16 runs scored.

In seven games versus Big 5 teams, Rickards hit .571 with 10 runs, six RBI, an .857 slugging percentage and a .750 on-base percentage. Rickards has now been named to the All-Big 5 team at second base all three times the team has been announced.

Joining him on the All-Big 5 team is junior third baseman Handler, who finished second on the team in batting (.322) and on-base percentage (.412), and third in runs (34), hits (55), and slugging percentage (.450).

He ended the season with a 10-game hitting streak - batting .439 in the stretch and raising his average 37 points to above .300 for the first time in his career.

In eight games versus Big 5 teams, Handler led the Explorers with 13 runs, 26 total bases, and had a .500 batting average, an .813 slugging percentage, and a .553 on-base percentage and added seven RBI.

Rickards was also selected to the Philadelphia Big 5 All-Academic Team. To see the entire Big 5 Release, click on the link above.