Pirate outfielders JR Godinez and Elijah Maris and designated hitter Chase McBean all earned first team All-Western State Conference honors for the 2021 season in voting by the conference coaches earlier this month. Godinez also received a Gold Glove award for his defensive prowess along with catcher Max Baldaccini. Baldaccini, Anthony Chavez, Garrick Levesque and Casey Turturici all were named second team All-WSC.
Godinez, a Rio Mesa High School product, headlines VC's post-season awards. The centerfielder slashed .310/.408/.430 and was tied for second on the team with 31 base hits. He had a team-high four triples in 28 games, mostly batting second in the line-up for the Pirates. He tied for the team lead in stolen bases with 13 and was third on the squad with 19 runs batted in. Defensively, he produced a team-best .986 fielding percentage with 70 catches in 72 attempts. He only committed one error on the season.
Maris, who hails from Atlanta, GA, was the Pirates everyday rightfielder. He slashed .348/.442/.424 with a team-high 32 hits and 22 RBI, second on the squad. He also scored 22 runs and had 10 stolen bases.
McBean, from Boca Raton, FL, split time between second base and designated hitter, earning his All-WSC spot with the latter. He led the Pirates with a .505 on base percentage with 24 hits and 25 base on balls, almost double the walks of anyone else on the team. He led the Pirates with 26 runs scored and recorded 13 stolen bases while getting caught stealing just once. He batted .329 with a .411 slugging percentage.
Baldaccini, a native of Miramar, FL, was voted the conference's top defensive catcher. He posted a .967 fielding percentage and committed just seven errors in 26 games behind the plate this season.
First baseman John Oleson was named Honorable Mention All-WSC, as were relief pitchers Anthony Betancourt and Robby Keister.
The Pirates ended the Covid-shortened 2021 campaign with a 15-13 record, 11-9 in WSC play. They won seven of their final eight games of the season, scoring in double figures in each of their last four outings under second-year skipper Cole Mahoney-Bruer.