| Sophomore shortstop Milton Rivera had some impressive moments during the 2016 season. He hit four home runs in four straight at-bats against Navy early in the season. He also had a 21-game hitting streak and complemented that by reaching base safely in 28 straight games.
All of those moments helped Rivera earn first-team All-Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) honors. The MEAC released its 2016 all-conference team with two additional Aggies on it. Sophomore catcher Adan Ordonez, last season’s MEAC Rookie of the Year, earned second team honors. Junior first baseman Kyle Clary was a third-team selection.
“We are extremely excited for the accolades garnered by Milton, Adan and Kyle,” said N.C. A&T head coach Ben Hall. “They are all high character guys who are talented on and off the field. It speaks volumes about their work ethic, and the direction our program is headed.”
Rivera earned his first career postseason conference honor. Rivera started all 54 games for the Aggies and led the team in batting, runs scored, hits, doubles, triples, home runs, total bases, slugging percentage and stolen bases.
Many of those team-leading numbers also rank high nationally. Rivera ranks among the top 75 players in the country in runs scored, doubles, hits, total bases and runs scored per game.
Ordonez followed his exceptional freshman season with a marvelous sophomore campaign. Ordonez also started all 54 games. He batted .332 a year after hitting .337 as a Freshman Louisville Slugger All-American. He led the team in RBI, walks, sacrifice flies and on-base percentage and was tied for second in doubles.
He also caught 14 base stealers as a catcher. Ordonez is second in the league in RBI, and he was second to only Rivera in total plate appearances in the MEAC.
Clary has perhaps shown the most improvement of any Aggie. Over his first two seasons he batted .226 and .221 respectively. This season Clary made huge strides after batting .300 and after starting all 52 games he played in. Clary had no home runs over his first two seasons as an Aggie, but this season he had three home runs. He also had more doubles this season than he had over his first two seasons combined.
Clary had the team’s second longest hitting streak of the season at 14. Not to be missed was Clary’s excellent defensive season where he posted a .991 fielding percentage. He led the MEAC in defensive chances (442) and putouts (405), yet still only committed four errors.
All three players are scheduled to return next season.
“The future of Aggie Baseball is bright and (Rivera, Ordonez and Clary) will play a big part in that going forward,” said Hall. |
