Ridgely, Zurak and Hrbek all-state VaSID

Radford University baseball concluded the 2017 season with three more postseason awards as Zack Ridgely, Kyle Zurak and Danny Hrbek were named to the VaSID University Division All-State Baseball Team, announced on Friday.

Ridgely and Zurak were named to the first team, while Hrbek earned second team honors for the second straight season.

“Zack, Kyle and Danny had great years. They gave this team everything they had on every pitch and more importantly each day during the season,” said head coach Joe Raccuia. “We are proud that they are being recognized by their performances by the peer institutions in the state of Virginia.”

Finishing second in VaSID Pitcher of the Year voting, Ridgely was named the Big South’s Pitcher of the Year, finishing with a 7-5 record and 2.84 ERA. Striking out 85 and only walking 12 in 95.0 innings, Ridgely ranked ninth nationally with a 7.08 strikeout-to-walk ratio. Earning three Big South Pitcher of the Week nods, Ridgely turned in a 2.13 ERA in league games.

An eighth-round selection of the New York Yankees, Zurak finished second in the Big South with a 2.40 ERA, while finishing with a 1.03 conference ERA. Punching out 73 batters in 60.0 innings, Zurak ranked sixth in the league. Zurak appeared in 25 games, while starting four, compiled a 4-4 record with nine saves. In only his third collegiate start, Zurak tossed a complete game in the Big South Championship, yielding two runs on six hits with nine strikeouts to earn MVP honors.

Serving as the ironman on the season, Hrbek appeared in all 59 games, while serving as the Highlanders’ Saturday pitcher. Hrbek was named NCBWA National Pitcher of the Week on March 7 after throwing Radford’s first nine-inning no-hitter in only his third collegiate start, finishing an error shy of a perfect game in a 4-0 over Quinnipiac on March 4. On the mound, Hrbek was 5-5 with a 4.96 ERA and at the dish hit .257 with 61 hits.

–RU Athletics