By Dylan Butler
If their play during the summer is any indication, the 2004 season will be much better for members of the St. John’s baseball team.
Several Red Storm players have been selected to play in all-star games in their respective summer leagues.
Leading the group is shortstop Mike Rozema, a first-team All-Big East selection who was named third-team All-American by the American Baseball Coaches Association and the National Collegiate Baseball Writer’s Association, who is playing for the Madison (Wisc.) Mallards.
Rozema, who is fourth on his team in batting with a .300 average and leads the Mallards in runs scored (29), hits (39) and stolen bases (18), was picked to play in the Northwoods League All-Star game.
Sophomore pitcher Anthony Varvaro was one of six St. John’s players chosen to participate in the Atlantic Collegiate Baseball League's All-Star Game.
Varvaro is 2-1 with a 2.31 earned run average and made the All-Star game with Red Storm and Metro Cadets teammates P.J. Antoniato and junior catcher Joe Burke. Antoniato, a junior infielder, is batting .250 with 19 hits and nine runs batted in, while Burke is batting .348 with 17 runs scored, three triples and seven RBIs.
Also making the ACBL All-Star game are Red Storm pitcher Jim Wladyka, sophomore first baseman Eddie Schultz and sophomore outfielder Greg Thompson.
Wladyka is 2-2 with a 4.37 ERA for the New Jersey Colts, Schultz is batting .340 with 11 doubles, two home runs and 18 RBIs for the Jersey Pilots while Thompson is batting .300 with six doubles and 14 RBIs for the Long Island Collegians.
Two members of the St. John’s team — junior third baseman Jim Martin and junior catcher Blake Hershelman — are playing for the Tread City (Conn.) Tides of the New England Collegiate Baseball League while senior outfielder Anthony DeRosa is playing for the Mill City (Mass.) All-Americans.
Martin, who was named to the New England Collegiate Baseball League’s All-Star game, is batting .292 with three doubles and Hershelman has 10 runs batted in while DeRosa has four runs scored and three RBIs.
Reach Associate Sports Editor Dylan Butler by email at TimesLedger@aol.com or call 718-229-0300, Ext. 143.
