September 12, 2007

Eric Allen of the Rockville Express and Morehead State University has been named the Cal Ripken, Sr. Collegiate Baseball League's Most Valuable Player for the 2007 season. Scott Swinson of Youse's Maryland Orioles and the University of Maryland has been named the Cal Ripken, Sr. Collegiate Baseball League's Most Outstanding Pitcher for the 2007 season.

Allen led the League Champion Rockville Express with 38 hits in 127 at-bats. He hit .299 and led the Express with ten doubles (second in the league) and three triples. He hit three home runs and knocked in a team-best 28 runs (second most in the league). He also scored a team-high 29 runs. His .496 slugging percentage was best in the league and his 63 total bases were third most in the league. Allen also led the league with 28 walks and a .448 on-base percentage. Allen tied for the team-lead with nine multi-hit games and led the Express with seven multi-RBI games. He reached base in 34 of his 39 games and finished the season on a 13-game hit streak, which was second longest on the team in 2007. During that stretch, Allen went 14-for-40 (.350) with five doubles and two triples, 12 RBI, 12 runs scored, and 13 walks. He also stole five bases during the hit streak. Importantly, the Express went 11-2 during Allen’s hit streak and captured the Regular Season Co-Championship and the top seed in the League Championship Series. Defensively, he committed just 2 errors in 81 chances—stabilizing centerfield when he took over the position for good in June.

Swinson’s 2.03 ERA was tops among regular Orioles starters in 2007. He finished the season with a 4-1 record in seven starts with two complete games. He struck out 33 batters in 48.2 innings pitched and walked just five. He allowed 37 hits, with opponents hitting a meager .213 off of him. Swinson never pitched fewer than six innings in a game and never struck out fewer than three opposing batters. His season-high for strikeouts was seven, which he posted twice—in his first start of the year against the Big Train on 6/11 and against the Express on 7/16. He did not allow a walk in four of his seven starts. Swinson’s best stretch came in two consecutive starts against the Express on 6/24 and the Bombers on 7/1. After allowing a run to the Express in the third inning, Swinson did not allow a run in his next 12.2 innings pitched and he struck out nine. He was co-Pitcher of the Week from 6/8 to 6/17.

2007 Cal Ripken, Sr. Collegiate Baseball League All-League Team

C, Joe Velleggia (Orioles/Old Dominion)
1B, Mike Celenza (Bombers/Salisbury)
2B, Bert Smith (Big Train/Jacksonville State)
3B, Jon Karcich (Big Train/Santa Clara)
SS, Chris Jackson (Orioles/Virginia Commonwealth)
OF, Eric Allen (Express/Morehead State)
OF, Joe Fowler (Thunderbolts/UMBC)
OF, Jarrett Parker (Braves/Virginia)
UTIL, Steve Domecus (Express/Moorpark)
SP, Scott Swinson (Orioles/Maryland)
SP, Zach Anderson (Redbirds/Buffalo)
RP, Josh Squatrito (Orioles/Towson)
RP, Brian Anderson (Big Train/San Francisco)