Senior Dan Fratus is among 26 semifinalists for the 2015 Josh Willingham Award, which recognizes the MVP of DII college baseball. |
Plymouth, Mass. native helped lead Stonehill back to the NCAA Tournament in 2015
EASTON, Mass. (May 19, 2015) – Stonehill College senior shortstop Dan Fratus (Plymouth, Massachusetts/Plymouth North) has been named a semifinalist for the 2015 Josh Willingham Award presented by Perfect Game, it was announced last week.
The award, which honors the most valuable player in NCAA Division II college baseball, recognizes an individual who not only excels on the field, but in the dugout, clubhouse, and practice field as well, and leads his team to national championship caliber status.
Fratus is among 26 semifinalists for the award, as voted on by a select panel of sports information directors and media members. He is one of just two players from an East Region program, with the other being Northeast-10 Conference Player of the Year Jay Jabs of Franklin Pierce University. The winner will be announced at the conclusion of the DII Championship to be held from May 23-30 at the USA Baseball Complex in Cary, North Carolina.
A National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association (NCBWA) All-East Region selection this spring, Fratus also earned All-NE-10 first team honors as he helped lead Stonehill to its third NCAA Tournament appearance in program history and first since 2010. The senior co-captain was one of three Skyhawks to start all 50 games this season, hitting .317 (59-for-186) with an NE-10-leading 22 doubles to go with one triple, two home runs and a team-high 38 runs batted in. Fratus, who got on base at a .427 clip and posted a .478 slugging percentage, also drew 34 walks (T-1st in NE-10), scored 41 runs (T-9th in NE-10) and stole six bases in seven attempts.
The Plymouth, Massachusetts native posted a season-high ten-game hitting streak from April 25th to May 7th, a stretch in which he batted .395 (15-for-38) with six doubles, eight walks, ten RBI and 12 runs scored, leading Stonehill to a 9-1 mark. Fratus reached base safely in all but six games this season, including the last 16 straight. He recorded multiple hits 18 times, and drove in multiple runs on seven occasions.
On February 22nd against Chestnut Hill College, he went 4-for-6 at the plate with three doubles and four RBI in a 12-0 Stonehill victory. Two weekends ago in the NE-10 Tournament final against Franklin Pierce University, Fratus turned in another four-hit effort while also scoring a pair of runs and driving in one, but the Skyhawks fell 7-6. The two-time All-Region performer capped his collegiate career this past week at the NCAA East Regional, recording a hit in each of Stonehill's three games.
In 194 career games for Stonehill, Fratus batted .304 (217-for-713) with 48 doubles, 13 triples, ten home runs and 118 RBI. He posted a .402 on-base percentage and a .450 slugging percentage while drawing 106 walks, scoring 121 runs, and stealing 27 bases.
Stonehill (34-15-1, 16-7 NE-10) matched a program record for wins this season and earned its third NCAA Tournament bid before falling on day three of the East Regional.
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