Baseball | 5/13/2011 9:55:22 AM

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ROCHESTER, NY - Seven members of the RIT baseball team were named to the 2011 All-Empire 8 Baseball team on Friday, as the league announced its yearly award winners. Seniors Justin Smith (Livonia, NY/Livonia), Mike Marsillo (Scottsdale, AZ/Desert Mountain), and Ed Hughes (Jamesville, NY/Jamesville-Dewitt) earned first team honors, while Kreag Bradley (Victor, NY/Victor), and Ron Canestro (East Amherst, NY/Nichols) were named to the second team.  Jon Meyer (Pittsford, NY/Pittsford Sutherland) and Walt Roman (Spencerport, NY/Spencerport) earned honorable mention accolades. 

Smith enjoyed another excellent season for the Tigers in 2011, having played in and started all 35 games in centerfield, while serving as the lead-off hitter. He led the team with a .393 batting average, with team-best totals of 65 total bases, 53 hits, 29 runs scored, and 21 stolen bases. In addition, Smith contributed five doubles, two triples, one home run, and 21 runs batted in.

Smith, a senior, finishes his career as RIT's all-time leader with 63 career stolen bases. in 2009, Smith tied the single-season record by stealing 23 bases. Smith is in the top-five all-time at RIT with 160 hits, 115 runs scored, and 200 total bases.  He is a three-time All-Empire 8 selection, having earned second team honors in 2009 and first team honors in 2010.

Marsillo, a senior hurler, enjoyed a tremendous senior season, finishing 5-4 with a 2.48 earned run average and seven complete games.  In Empire 8 play, he finished 3-1 qith a 1.24 earned run average in 29 innings.  Marsillo recorded three shutouts in Empire 8 play over Ithaca, Utica, and Stevens.  The three shutouts tied a RIT single-season record.  Marsillo holds the all-time RIT record with four shutouts. He also has 18 career wins, fourth most all-time at RIT.  This is Marsillo's second All-Empire 8 selection, having also earned honorable mention accolades in 2008.

Hughes played in all 35 games at shortstop this season, leading the squad with 27 runs batted in, while hitting .371.  He nearly equaled his single-season record for assists in a season with 115, one shy of the mark set in 2010.  Hughes also chipped in offensively with six stolen bases, five doubles, and three triples.  He finishes his career tied for ninth all-time at RIT with 76 runs batted in, and is in the top-10 with 183 total bases, and 135 hits.  Hughes is a four-time All-Empire 8 selection, earning second team honors in 2008 and 2010, while garnering honorable mention accolades in 2009.

Bradley, a junior outfielder, enjoyed a breakout season for the Tigers in 2011, hitting .377 with 18 runs batted in, and 11 stolen bases in 13 attempts.  He was second on the squad with 43 hits and 25 runs scored.

Canestro, a freshman utility player, appeared on the mound, and played second base, third base, and outfield during the season.  On the mound, he was second on the squad with a 2.49 earned run average, with 29 strikeouts in 25 1/3 innings.  At the plate, Canestro hit .310 with 16 runs batted in.

Meyer, a junior transfer from Utica, played in and started 34 games split between catcher and designated hitter.  He hit .298 with 22 runs batted in eight doubles.  Meyer led the team with 24 walks and had an impressive .430 on-base percentage.

Roman, a freshman third basemen/pitcher, set a single-season RIT record by getting hit by a pitch 16 times this season.  He hit .300 with a team-high three home runs to go along with 23 runs batted in.  Roman was second on the team with a .478 slugging percentage and .444 on-base percentage, while stealing three bases.  On the mound, he finished 2-1 while hurling 23 innings.

One member of each team was named that institution's representative on the 2011 Softball Sportswoman of the Year Team. Empire 8 emphasizes that "Competing with Honor and Integrity" is an essential component of a student-athlete's experience in conjunction with an institution's educational mission. These honorees have distinguished themselves and consistently exhibit the critical traits as outstanding sportswomen.  Smith was RIT's representative.

The Tigers finished with a 16-19 record, placing third in the conference standings.