Jul. 14—Even with his O team idle on Thursday night, Tyler Cote produced some impressive numbers during the Johnstown Collegiate Baseball League awards vote.
The catcher/first baseman from Chatham University earned three major awards, including the Dr. Robert Hartnett Most Valuable Player Award as voted by the five-team league’s managers and coaches.
Cote also took the Denny Altimore batting title with a .444 average (28-for-63) and shared the Ken Horoho Award as top rookie player with Mainline Pharmacy’s Devon Boyles.
“MVP speaks for itself,” O manager Ken Ashbrook said. “Tyler showed up every day and just produced for us. He’s a great kid, a great teammate. I couldn’t ask for anyone better than him.”
Cote, 20, primarily played catcher or first base, but Ashbrook occasionally called on him to pitch. The North Hills High School graduate could also play in the outfield or as a designated hitter.
“You’ll probably see him pitch a little more in the playoffs than you did in the regular season,” said Ashbrook, whose fourth-place team will face regular-season champion Martella’s Pharmacy at 5:15 pm Friday at Forest Hills Junior- Senior High School in Game 1 of a best-of-5 semifinal playoff series.
In addition to leading the league in batting average, Cote had a JCBL-best eight doubles to go with 17 runs, 14 RBIs and five homers, second-most in the league.
“At the plate, when he is seeing the ball well, it’s very difficult for a pitcher to get him out,” Ashbrook said.
Mainline Pharmacy right-hander Rodney Shultz earned the Pete Vuckovich Award as most valuable pitcher. The former state champion pitcher at Tyrone Area High School was second in the league with four wins.
Shultz struck out 35 batters in 251/3 innings this season. He had a 0.83 earned run average to rank second in the league.
“Rodney was our best pitcher and we knew that coming into the season,” said Mainline Pharmacy manager Tim Rubal, whose second-seeded team will play third-seeded Laurel Auto Group at 5:15 Friday at Mount Aloysius College. “It was a different vibe when he was in the dugout and on the mound.
“Everybody knew we only needed to score only a couple of runs.
“If we came in and did our job and got a couple runs early in the game, then Rodney would be able to shut them down.”
Shultz built on a strong spring, as he went 7-2 at Pitt-Johnstown.
“His fastball is pretty dominant in our league,” Rubal said.
“He doesn’t just throw it hard. He can locate it as well.
“His slider is pretty good and he throws a good changeup.
“The versatility he has with his pitches, knowing when to throw them and using them effectively, made him so effective.”
Mainline Pharmacy also produced two other award winners.
Boyles shared the Ken Horoho Award with Cote as the top rookie position player.
The first baseman batted .356 (21-for-59) with league highs of seven homers and 28 RBIs, as well as 17 runs and seven doubles.
“He’s only a freshman in college,” Rubal said. “He struggled at the beginning of the year, but once he caught fire, I don’t think there was anyone who wanted to throw to him. At 6-foot-5, 225 (pounds), he was so intimidating with the persona he brought to the batter’s box.”
The Central High School graduate also is a Pitt-Johns-town player who transferred from Radford University. At Central, Boyles was part of statewide dominant teams in football and baseball (2022 PIAA Class 3A champions).
Mainline Pharmacy left-hander Garret Holzapfel was the Bill Jenkins Award winner as top rookie pitcher. The Pitt-Johnstown player from State College compiled 23 strikeouts and a league-best 0.75 ERA in 182/3 innings.
“Garret was supposed to play last year, but was injured,” Rubal said. “This year after throwing at UPJ and building confidence, he came in and he reminds me of (former Pitt-Johnstown and JCBL standout) Joel Colledge. He was a lefty. They both use their off-speed pitches effectively.
“Garret did whatever I asked him to. If I needed him to throw five innings of relief, he would.
“If I needed him to give me six innings in a start, he would.”
The managers also named the all-JCBL team, honoring a total of 20 additional players.
Mike Mastovich is a sports reporter and columnist for The Tribune-Democrat. He can be reached at 814-532-5083. Follow him on Twitter @Masty81.