Player and Pitchers of the Year Recognized

By: Ryan Murphy

The Albany Dutchmen are pleased to recognize the team's fourth annual Player and Pitcher of the Year. Brandt Holland (North Alabama) was selected as the Player of the Year, while Matt Pierce (Siena) and Justin Bureau (Ave Maria) shared Pitcher of the Year honors. The Dutchmen have been presenting these postseason awards since 2014, and the honored players were recognized before the home game on July 29.

Brandt Holland came to Albany from North Alabama, and left as the third Division II player to claim the highest Dutchmen honor. Holland was a mainstay in the middle of the Albany order, and put together a season that saw him land in the top five in franchise history in three offensive categories. The first baseman was the most powerful member of the Dutchmen order, belting five home runs with 36 runs batted in. The 36 RBIs tied Michael Fitzsimmons' franchise record from two seasons ago, and was tied for fourth in the PGCBL. Holland was one of nine PGCBL players to hit five home runs this season, four of which played their home games at notoriously homer-happy Shuttlesworth Park in Amsterdam. The slugger was also fifth in team history in extra-base hits (15), and fourth in slugging percentage (.512).

Holland caught fire near the end of the season, leading the Dutchmen to the number two seed in the Eastern Division and a home playoff game. In a stretch from July 19 to July 25, Holland drove in 12 runs in six games, hitting three home runs. The Dutchmen went 4-2 in that stretch, and the was named the Spotlight Player of the Week for his efforts.

In addition to his honor as PGCBL Pitcher of the Year honor, Matt Pierce was recognized as the team's co-Pitcher of the Year. Pierce joins Nick Cioffi as the second local product to win the award. Pierce set a league record with eight wins on the season, as the Siena product earned a victory in eight of the 12 appearances he made. He was the PGCBL ERA champion with a 1.71 mark, the third best in Dutchmen history among pitchers with 40 or more innings. The righthander from Schenectady did not allow more than two runs in any of his outings, and allowed just 11 walks in his 42 innings on the mound.

Pierce was at his best in the month of July, going 4-0 in his final four starts of the season. He defeated three teams that qualified for the PGCBL Playoffs, picking up wins over Onondaga, Amsterdam, and Saugerties. The victory over Oneonta on the road was his crowning acheivement, as the righthander allowed just one hit over six shutout innings with six strikeouts. The win over Oneonta tied the franchise record with his fifth win of the season, and saw Pierce set season-highs in innings pitched and strikeouts.

Sharing the award of co-Pitcher of the Year was closer Justin Bureau. Bureau put together one of the best seasons in PGCBL history for a closer, as the Ave Maria Gyrene did not allow a run- earned or otherwise- in 21 innings on the mound. Bureau tied a franchise record with eight saves, and added three victories. A PGCBL All-Star, Bureat struck out 30 hitters with only six walks, and allowed only nine hits. In his 17 appearances, Bureau recorded at least one strikeout in all but one of his outings, and allowed more than one hit only twice.

Bureau set the franchise record with the lowest earned run average, becoming the first pitcher in nine years of Albany Dutchmen baseball to not allow a run over at least 20 innings. The righthander also recorded the lowest batting average against in the team's history, as opposing hitters batted just .127 against him. Finally, Bureau was just the seventh pitcher to pitch at least 17 times in an Albany uniform.

The Dutchmen are pleased to recognize the accomplishments of each of these three players, and wish all of them the best in their future baseball endeavors.

DUTCHMEN PITCHERS OF THE YEAR
2014: Drew Tolson (Baylor)
2015: Nick Cioffi (Saint Rose)
2016: Evan Giles (Indiana State)
2017: Matt Pierce (Siena) and Justin Bureau (Ave Maria)

DUTCHMEN PLAYERS OF THE YEAR:
2014: Sean Aspinall (Azusa Pacific)
2015: Michael Fitzsimmons (Ole Miss)
2016: JJ Shimko (South Carolina Upstate) and Justin Childers (Ohio Dominican)
2017: Brandt Holland (North Alabama)



Search Archive »





Browse by Month »

March 2024
August 2023
July 2023
June 2023
May 2023
April 2023
August 2022
July 2022
June 2022
May 2022
April 2022
March 2022
January 2022
September 2021
August 2021
July 2021
June 2021
May 2021
March 2021
May 2020
March 2020
August 2019
July 2019
June 2019
May 2019
April 2019
March 2019
February 2019
January 2019
November 2018
October 2018
August 2018
July 2018
June 2018
May 2018
April 2018
March 2018
February 2018
January 2018
December 2017
September 2017
August 2017
July 2017
June 2017
May 2017
April 2017
March 2017
February 2017
January 2017
December 2016
November 2016
August 2016
July 2016
June 2016
May 2016
April 2016
March 2016
February 2016
January 2016
December 2015
November 2015
October 2015
August 2015
July 2015
June 2015
May 2015
April 2015
March 2015
February 2015
January 2015
December 2014
October 2014
August 2014
July 2014
June 2014
May 2014
April 2014
March 2014
February 2014
January 2014
December 2013
October 2013
August 2013
July 2013
June 2013
May 2013
April 2013
January 2013
December 2012
November 2012
Ignite Business Solutions