Willmar’s Flores and Duluth’s Curcio are co-MVPs, Duluth’s Chapman is Top Pitcher
(ROCHESTER, MN) The Northwoods League announced its 2013 Postseason All-Star Team and award winners on Sunday morning. In addition to the 31 players that were selected to the honorary team, Willmar first baseman Marc Flores and Duluth outfielder Keith Curcio were named co-Northwoods League Most Valuable Players while Duluth right-handed pitcher Clay Chapman was named Pitcher of the Year as voted by the League’s coaches and members of the media. La Crosse led all teams with five players selected. The Waterloo Bucks, the top team in this year’s regular season, swept the coaching awards.
Willmar Stingers first baseman Marc Flores (Hawaii) caps off of stellar season in the Northwoods League with a share of the MVP award. Flores started off the season with a home run in his first game on May 29 and hasn’t looked back. He was a mid-season All Star and went 1 for 5 with a home run and 2 RBI in the game. Flores is currently among the league leaders in home runs, runs batted in and batting average. Flores enters the final game of the regular season with a .353 batting average, 13 home runs and 63 RBI. Flores is a native of King City, California.
Duluth Huskies outfielder Keith Curcio (Florida Southern) also gained a share of the Northwoods League MVP award with an equally impressive summer. Curcio started off the season in his first game going 3 for 5 with 3 RBI and 2 stolen bases. The Sarasota, Florida native has multiple hits in 31 games this season including a 4 for 4 performance with 5 RBI against Thunder Bay on July 21. Curcio is also third in the league in stolen bases with 28 and ranks right behind league leader and post season All Star Jordan LaPrise from Madison in batting average. Curcio enters the final game of the regular season with a .365 batting average, 53 RBI and 28 stolen bases.
Duluth Huskies right-handed pitcher Clay Chapman (Florida Southern) was named the Northwoods League’s Pitcher of the Year. Chapman, a Junior, has pitched well the entire season but has been especially dominant in his last two starts for the playoff bound Huskies. Chapman hurled 13.1 innings over his last two starts and allowed only one earned run dropping his ERA to a league best 1.99. He carries a 4-4 record in 12 starts and has struck out 66 batters while walking 26 in 72 1/3 innings pitched this season. Chapman, standing at 6-foot-1, 190 pounds hails from Orlando, Florida.
Both Flores and Curcio along with Chapman are among the 31 players selected to the NWL’s Postseason All-Star team. The La Crosse contingent of five All-Stars include right-handed pitcher Josh Frye (Long Beach State) who is currently the league leader in strikeouts with 79 and Loggers first baseman Michael Katz (William & Mary) who leads the league with 17 home runs. They are joined by Loggers third baseman Nick Day (Iowa) and shortstop Brandon DeFazio (College of San Mateo). Loggers right handed pitcher Steven Hagen (Wooster College) rounds out the La Crosse selections and is also second in the league with 6 wins. Selected from the Madison Mallards is infielder John LaPrise (Virginia). LaPrise is currently leading the league with an astonishing .411 batting average heading into the final game of the regular season. His Mallards teammate Drew Weeks (North Florida) has also been selected. Weeks currently leads the league with 65 RBI.
Waterloo’s second-year field manager Travis Kiewit is the 2013 Manager of the Year after leading the Bucks to the best record in the league, currently at 51-18. The Bucks recently passed the 2006 Rochester Honkers for the most wins in Northwoods League history. The previous record was 50. Kiewit’s assistant coach Pat Casey earned the award for 2013 Coach of the Year in the Northwoods League.
In other awards, St. Cloud’s Joe Faber Field was voted as the field with the Best Playing Surface.
Madison Mallards and Mankato MoonDogs broadcasters Gabe Neitzel and J.J. Hartigan, respectively, were recognized by their peers as Co-Play-by-Play Announcers of the Year.
Northwoods League Postseason All-Stars:
http://northwoodsleague.com/pdf/2013-Northwoods-League-Postseason-All-Stars.pdf
The Northwoods League has more teams, plays more games, and draws more fans than any other Summer Collegiate League in North America. The 2013 season marks the 20th season of Northwoods League baseball. 108 former players have gone on to play Major League baseball. Notable alumni of the league include Curtis Granderson (Yankees), Chris Sale (White Sox), Max Scherzer (Tigers), Josh Willingham (Twins) and Jordan Zimmermann (Nationals). The 2013 Northwoods League Playoffs will begin on Monday, August 12.