Hartenstein, Griffin Pick Up Regional Honors
NEW LONDON, Conn. – A pair of organizations released their all-region baseball awards on Tuesday, and Mitchell College juniors Kyle Hartenstein and Garet Griffin were honored by each.
The popular website D3baseball.com was the first to announce its all-region teams. Hartenstein was selected as the top second baseman in New England, earning one of 14 spots on the all-region first team. Griffin was named the shortstop on the third team.
Hartenstein and Griffin are the first Mitchell positional players to earn D3baseball.com all-region status in the same season. The Mariners now boast seven D3baseball.com all-region selections in the past five years.
Later in the day, the New England Intercollegiate Baseball Association (NEIBA), in conjunction with the American Baseball Coaches Association (ABCA), released its Division III All-New England teams. Hartenstein and Griffin were among 50 players who were named to teams. Hartenstein was a first-team selection at second base while Griffin grabbed a spot on the second team at shortstop.
The Mariners now boast 12 NEIBA/ABCA all-region selections in the past seven years. Hartenstein becomes the second Mitchell player—as well as the first field player—to earn first-team status, joining former teammate and pitcher Al Jordan Johnson (2015).
Hartenstein started and played all 42 games and hit .422 with 43 RBI and a team-high 51 runs scored. His 70 hits shattered the school's single season record, and he also set a new benchmark for doubles (19). After three years he sits in second place all-time at Mitchell in both career hits (171) and RBI (95).
Griffin, the NECC Player of the Year, played in 36 games and made 35 starts while hitting .496 with 41 RBI and 45 runs scored. He broke the school's single season record for batting average and currently ranks third in the country in the category. He also set Mitchell single season records in on-base percentage (.556) and hit by pitch (18). He ended the season on a 21-game hitting streak, and his 62 hits brought his career total to 100.
The 2017 season marks the sixth year that D3baseball.com has named all-region teams, with over 800 players nominated. The ballot was then made available to sports information directors—who voted for a predetermined number of players in their region—as well as D3baseball.com staff and contributors.
D3baseball.com All-New England teams
NEIBA/ABCA All-New England teams
