D3baseball.com 2000's All-Decade Team

Rowan's Josh Schwartz set a NCAA record of 37 straight wins in the decade. Rowan athletics photo

Fifty named to All-Decade team Jay Coakley, a four-time All-American catcher from Marietta and 2001 player of the year, headlines the D3baseball.com 2000's All-Decade team. Joining Coakley on the first team are three more Players of the Year, Drew Caravella, Ohio Wesleyan (2002), Vince Mancuso, UW-Oshkosh (2003), and Kurt Yacko, Chapman (2007). The D3baseball.com 2000's All-Decade team consists of 52 players and coaches representing the best players in the decade.

Joining first baseman Caravella in the infield are second baseman Jeremy Jirschele, UW-Oshkosh, shortstop Ian Hauze, DeSales, and third baseman Jake Frank, Wooster. Jirschele, a two-time All-Defensive player of the year in the decade was one of five unanimous selections. In the outfield is Mancuso, three-time All-American Tony Konicek, Gustavus Adolphus and Eric Swedberg, Worcester State. Jose Cortez, Pomona-Pitzer was an unanimous selection as designated hitter.

The first team pitching staff is composed of five pitchers with the talents of two utility players. D-III's all-time ERA leader Jeremiah Bayer, Trinity (Conn.) and strikeout king Matt DeSalvo, Marietta leads the staff.

Josh Schwartz, Rowan, Devin Drag, Carthage and Ryan DiPietro, Eastern Connecticut State round out the rotation. Shawn Gilblair and Yacko were both utility selections. Gilblair shared time at pitcher and first base in his four year career at Eastern Connecticut State. Yacko, Chapman's shortstop and closer, left school after three years to start his professional career.

St. Thomas' Dennis Denning bookended the decade with two championships. Denning's Tommies won the second and final championship of the decade, being the only school to win two championships in the decade. Denning's 13-4 record also leads all schools.

In the 2000's, 15 players were named Player of the Year by either D3basbeall.com, the NCBWA and the ABCA. Four were first team selections and the rest, with the exception of Southwestern's Matt Gelotti, were named the the second and honorable mention teams.

The D3baseball.con 2000's All-Decade team was selected by D3baseball.com staff.