Joe Engel Garners All-Big East Honors
5/21/2001 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
Joe Engel Garners All-Big East Honors
5/21/2001
BRIDGEWATER, N.J.--Capping off an impressive first year with Pittsburgh's baseball team, junior hurler Joe Engel has been named to the All-Big East Third Team, announced today by the conference office. Engel is the lone Panther to earn all-conference status and the first pitcher in Pittsburgh's history to earn the honor.
Engel (S. Williamsport, Pa./S. Williamsport), who transferred this past year from Gulf Coast Community College, led Pittsburgh's pitching staff with five wins. The right-hander also sported an impressive 1.92 earned run average, which ranked 15th in the NCAA and second in the Big East behind Notre Dame's conference Pitcher of the Year, Aaron Heilman. Engel limited opposing hitters to a .212 batting average, which was fourth in the Big East, and pitched six complete games, good enough for third in the conference.
"Joe was our workhorse all year on the mound," said Head Coach Joe Jordano. "Our pitching staff rallied around him when we had injuries and he responded well. He had some great wins for us this year and we are expecting a lot from him next season."
Despite nagging injuries all season, the Panther hurlers ranked fifth in conference games with a 4.48 ERA and were led by Engel, who gave up just 13 earned runs in 59.1 innings. Engel also finished the season with 69 strikeouts, placing him ninth on Pittsburgh's all-time single-season list.
