RICHMOND, VA.- After strong starts to the shortened 2020 season,
Jack Cone (utility) and
Matthew Trehub (catcher) have been named preseason All-CAA as announced by the league Friday morning. In addition,
Hunter Hart (designated hitter) and
Matt McDermott (second base) were given honorable mention.
The honor marks the second consecutive year that fifth-year senior
Matthew Trehub has earned the preseason accolade. In 2020, Trehub posted a .419 on-base percentage that was good for fourth in the CAA. Trehub had a 10-game hitting streak during the 2020 campaign and tied for second in the league drawing 13 walks in 14 games played. Trehub posted a career-high three hits in the Tribe's game at UVA and finished the season with 13 knocks, 10 RBI, and six runs scored. Behind the plate, the Massachusetts native gunned down five runners while committing zero errors.
Trehub is joined on the team by his 2020 Sunday battery-mate, and two-way player
Jack Cone. Cone emerged as one of the league's most versatile players in the 2020 season starting 16 of the Tribe's 17 games either at pitcher, center field, or designated hitter. When in the lineup, the rising junior hit leadoff for coach Murphy's club and raked for a .326 average. Over 12 games in the batting order, Cone accumulated 14 hits, scored 11 runs, and knocked in six. Cone had five multi-hit ball games and scored at least twice in three contests.
On the bump, Cone served as the Tribe's Sunday afternoon starter and tossed 22.0 innings over four outings. Cone earned a 3-1 record to go with a stingy 2.86 ERA. Over his last three starts of the 2020 season, the Virginia native hurled 18.0 innings, allowing three runs, and struck out 16 batters on the way to three straight wins. Cone struck out more batters than he walked in each of his four starts and did not allow a triple or a home run all season.
Rising senior earned honorable mention after a breakout 2020 season at the plate. The New Jersey product started all 17 games at second base and hit second in the lineup. McDermott led the team with 22 hits, eight stolen bases, and tied for the team lead with four doubles. The second basemen went deep twice in the 2020 season including a solo shot at UVA. As expected, McDermott played stellar defense committing just one error in 76 chances. He had 33 putouts, 43 assists, and was in on 12 double plays.
The 2020 season saw
Hunter Hart play in 12 games, making 10 starts at first base and as a designated hitter. The big rising junior led the CAA with a .417 batting average, finished second with 17 RBI, and third in the league with a .500 on-base percentage. Hart finished 2020 on a seven-game hitting streak and had at least one knock in every game he started. In addition, he plated a run in 10 of the 12 games he appeared in, led the team with four multi-RBI games, and scored 10 runs on the year.
