Coming off a sensational season on the mound, University of Maine junior right hander pitcher Nicholas Sinacola became just the fourth player in Black Bear baseball history to be named to an All-American First Team it was announced on Thursday.
Sinacola becomes the first Maine player since 1991 to receive such a high honor. The previous first team selections were Rick Bernardo in 1986, Andy Hartung in 1990, and Mark Sweeney in 1991. He is the first All-American since Michael Fransoso made the Third Team in 2013, and Justin Courtney made the Rookie Team in 2015.
Out of the seven pitchers named to the First Team, Sinacola led them all with 139 strikeouts in just over 79 innings. He was just ahead of the Vanderbilt dynamic duo of Jack Leiter and Kumar Rocker, who had 135 K’s each in 83 and 91 innings respectively. He finished the year with a 9-3 record, five complete games, one shutout, and a 2.04 earned run average. He allowed 18 earned runs, 59 hits, and 23 walks. Opponents only hit .208 off Sinacola. In his final game this season, he helped Maine upset top ranked Stony Brook at the America East Tournament allowing one earned run with 11 strikeouts in seven innings. The North Attleboro, Massachusetts native now turns his attention to the MLB Draft which is scheduled July 11-13.
