NORTH ADAMS, Mass. -- North Adams SteepleCats hurler Blake Whitney Thursday was named the best starting pitcher in the New England Collegiate Baseball League for 2017.

 

"One of North Adams' best pitchers in franchise history led the league by a wide margin in strikeouts, totaling 80 punchouts on the season - 29 more than the next-closest pitcher," read a news release from NECBL Commissioner Sean McGrath. "Whtiney also finished with a highly respectable 2.08 ERA - the fourth-lowest in the entire NECBL - and gave up only 36 hits over a league-most 52.0 innings while posting a 0.94 WHIP. The starter for the Northern Division in the All-Star Game started nine games on the summer, as well."

 

The league passed out nine post-season honors on Thursday, ranging from most valuable player to umpire of the year.

 

The league's MVP and top pro prospect was Mystic's Tommy Jew, a student at UC-Santa Barbara, who compiled a batting average of .328 while driving in 21 runs with eight homers.