D'Amato Tabbed by Baseball America as Preseason Pitcher of the Year
Baseball America, a media outlet that has been covering every level of baseball since 1981, has honored one of St. John Fisher College’s players. On its website, Baseball America has released its
2013 Small College Preview, naming Cardinals’ starting pitcher Justin D’Amato its Division III Preseason Pitcher of the Year.
Entering his junior season, D’Amato has already accumulated impressive stats, records and awards. The lefty has started in 25 games for the Cardinals, earning decisions in 22 of those contests, only two of which he lost. Both of those losses came as a freshman, as D’Amato earned a perfect 11-0 record in 2012.
The Empire 8 Conference has recognized him as its Pitcher of the Year for both seasons and as Rookie of the Year for his 2011 campaign. After the 2012 season, D’Amato was named a Second Team All-American by ABCA/Rawlings and a Third Team All-American by D3Baseball.com. The Canandaigua native has been an All-Region starting pitcher in both years, as named by ABCA/Rawlings.
D’Amato has already rewritten Fisher single-season pitching records while he is flirting with career marks in just his third year on the mound in 2013. The southpaw holds the College record for strikeouts (97) and wins (11) in a season. If D’Amato can earn three wins and fan 23 batters he will become Fisher’s all-time leader in career wins and strikeouts.
The Cardinals will begin its 2013 season at 1 p.m. on February 23rd at Diamond Nation in Flemington, NJ as they play a doubleheader, starting with Kings College and finishing against SUNY Plattsburgh. Fisher looks to return to the NCAA Division III Regional Championship for the second-straight year, after knocking off Marietta College in regionals in 2012. The Pioneers then went on to win a back-to-back NCAA Championship, after capturing the 2011 crown as well. With D’Amato’s 11 wins included, Fisher won 31 games in 2012, tying a College record for wins in a season, which it will try and best in 2013.