Maines Names Blackbirds' Postseason Honorees

5/23/07 -- Long Island University head baseball coach Don Maines announced the winners of the team’s postseason awards, with a pair of Blackbirds taking home honors. Senior Robby Rowen (Rosendale, N.Y.) was named the team’s Player of the Year while sophomore Kenny Cedel (Staten Island, N.Y.) earned Pitcher of the Year honors.

Rowen, the team’s starting rightfielder and closer, hit .306 for the season with 24 RBIs. He compiled 11 doubles and a home run while drawing 10 walks. In addition, Rowen was hit by a team-high 16 pitches. In his last at-bat as a Blackbird, he drove in the winning run in Long Island’s 5-4, 10-inning win over Central Connecticut State with a walk-off single.

Cedel led the team in strikeouts with 62 while splitting time as a starter and a reliever. The southpaw won three games this season and finished with a 5.43 ERA. Opponents hit a team-low .290 off him. In Cedel’s last start of the season, he hurled a complete-game, three-hit shutout of Central Connecticut State as Long Island won, 1-0.