Baseball | 5/23/2018 1:48:00 PM
ERIE, Pa. – Mercyhurst junior pitcher
Chris Vallimont was named to the 2018 National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association (NCBWA) Division II Postseason All-America First Team as a starting pitcher announced Wednesday, May 23.
Vallimont has put together one of the best pitching seasons in Mercyhurst baseball program history in 2018. The Erie, Pa. native has a 10-2 record this season with a 1.93 ERA. He was one of the most prolific strikeout pitchers in the nation with 136, good for second in the country despite throwing 22 less innings than the nation leader (David Lebron, Tampa, 139 K in 96.1 IP).
Vallimont leads the country with 16.47 strikeouts per nine innings pitched. He is also second in the nation with WHIP at 0.77. He was also named NCBWA Atlantic Region Pitcher of the Year on May 16.
The Mercyhurst Prep graduate threw three games at last week's NCAA Atlantic Regional to give the Lakers their second region title in program history. He earned the win in the opening round with eight shutout innings against Bloomsburg with 12 strikeouts.
He made a rare relief appearance in the 11
th inning of the winner's bracket final against Seton Hill to earn his second win of the tournament with a scoreless frame. He also earned his first career save in the championship game a day later with four strikeouts in two scoreless innings.
