EAST STROUDSBURG - East Stroudsburg University second baseman Joe Bennie has been named to the Atlantic Region Gold Glove team for the 2013 season by the ABCA (American Baseball Coaches Association), it has been announced.

Bennie (Stroudsburg/Stroudsburg) was previously named to the ABCA All-Region first team, All-PSAC East first team and NCBWA (National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association) All-Region honorable mention team this spring.

A three-year starter at shortstop at Division I La Salle before transferring to ESU for his senior year, Bennie had a .994 fielding percentage with just one error in his only season with the Warriors.

He successfully handled 179 defensive chances (98 assists, 81 putouts) and was involved in 17 double plays. He played in and started 49 of ESU's 52 games and committed his only error in the next-to-last game of the regular season, his 41st game of the year.

Bennie was part of an ESU defense that set a school record and ranked eighth in Division II in fielding percentage at .972. The Warriors made just 47 errors in 52 games on their way to a school-record 34 victories during the 2013 season.

ESU won its first PSAC championship since 1971 due in large part to a defense that committed just three errors in four games, going 4-0 with wins over Gannon (8-5), Millersville (6-2), California (7-4) and West Chester (7-1).

Bennie was one of three new starters in the ESU infield along with junior shortstop Eric Linares (.949 fielding percentage) and redshirt freshman third baseman Drew Hercik (.944 fielding percentage). Junior catcher Eric Forth didn't commit an error all season behind the plate and threw out 14 of 43 base stealers, senior 1B Brian Ernst was a converted high school shortstop, and senior RF Eric Boyer (.991), junior CF Chris Knott (.990), redshirt sophomore LF Andy Brandstetter and freshman LF John Armbrust patrolled the outfield.

Offensively, Bennie hit .348 and led ESU with 43 runs scored. His had 18 extra-base hits (10 doubles, three triples, five home runs), including ESU's first cycle in at least 10 years on March 15 at Dowling. He had a .397 on-base percentage, .513 slugging percentage, 28 RBI and 21 stolen bases.

He is tied for 10th on ESU's single-season hits list with 65, tied for eighth in stolen bases, 11th in total bases and 15th in runs scored.


ABCA Atlantic Region Gold Glove Team
1B - Joey Miller, Concord
2B - Joe Bennie, ESU
SS - Zak Blair, Mercyhurst
3B - Joe Pantano, Mercyhurst
OF - Cody Herald, Seton Hill
OF - Michael Lott, Shepherd
OF - Drew Pirritano, Clarion
OF - Sean Collette, Alderson-Broaddus
C - Nico Baldelli, Gannon
P - Paul Hvozdovic, Shepherd