Randolph-Macon's Maiolo, Guilford's Smith also Honored

FOREST, Va. --- In just its second year under the ODAC banner, Shenandoah University baseball has made its mark in the conference as the Hornets take home three major honors as part of the All-ODAC Baseball Awards.  Third baseman Michael Paul and starter Darrell Thompson were named the ODAC Player and Pitcher of the Year, respectively, while mentor Kevin Anderson received ODAC Coach of the Year recognition.  Randolph-Macon College designated hitter Nicholas Maiolo picked up ODAC Rookie of the Year accolades, and Guilford College first baseman John Macon Smith was tabbed the ODAC/Farm Bureau Insurance Scholar-Athlete.

Paul, a junior from Red Hill, Pa., swung a hot bat all season as he hit safely in 33-of-35 games played including the first 24 to open the season.  He's currently #1 in the ODAC in runs batted in (56), runs scored (48) and slugging percentage (.743), while his .450 batting average and 104 total bases sit second.  He walked 22 times (against 12 strikeouts), helping him to an ODAC third-best .518 on-base percentage.  He also ranks third with eight homeruns.  Against league foes, he drove in a conference-high 34 runs while posting averages of .415/.500/.646.  Overall, Paul has collected 20 multi-hit games that include five three-hit efforts and three four-hit performances.

Thompson, a sophomore from Middletown, Va., only lost once in nine starts this season as the Hornets' southpaw owns an 8-1 record with a 2.38 earned run average entering the tournament.  His eight overall wins tie atop the league charts, while his seven victories in conference play are two more than any other pitcher.  He led both the overall and ODAC lists in strikeouts as well, fanning 64 batters in 68.0 total innings and 59 hitters in 62.0 frames in conference play.  Thompson worked six or more innings in all eight starts, posting a trio of nine-inning complete games including a six-hit shutout of Bridgewater College in his final start prior to the tournament.

Anderson, in his 11th season guiding the Hornets, led his squad to a 28-7 overall record and a 17-3 mark in league play to secure the top seed in the ODAC Baseball Tournament.  SU leads the ODAC in several offensive categories including team batting average (.360), on-base percentage (.437), slugging (.512) and homeruns (28).  The Hornets are currently ranked 14th in the D3baseball.com Top-25 Poll.  Anderson boasts a current record of 317-151 at SU and 464-255-1 mark in 15 seasons as a collegiate head coach, which includes five years at James Madison.

Maiolo, a sophomore from Powhatan, Va., missed his freshman campaign due to injury, but made up for it with a strong second season in Ashland.  An All-ODAC First Team choice at designated hitter, Maiolo sits eighth in the ODAC with a .395 batting average.  His power numbers all rank inside the top five as he stands fourth in homeruns (7) and slugging (.677) and fifth in doubles (12).  He's also third with 45 RBI and seventh with 84 total bases.  Against league opponents, his .708 slugging percentage leads all players, while his five homers are second.  He hit safely in 27-of-32 total games played with 16 multi-hit outings.  Entering the tournament, Mailolo is batting .467 with six multi-hit outings in his last seven.

Smith, a senior from Greensboro, N.C., enjoys his second straight ODAC/Farm Bureau Insurance Scholar-Athlete honor in addition to consecutive appearances on the All-ODAC First Team.  In the classroom, Smith maintains a 3.83 grade point average as an Accounting major with a minor in Business Law.  A perennial member of the Guilford Student-Athlete Academic Honor Roll, Dean's List and ODAC All-Academic Team, Smith earned Capital One Academic All-District recognition from CoSIDA last season.  On the field in 2014, Smith leads the ODAC with a .459 batting average.  He's second in hits (68) and OBP (.531) and third in triples (4), total bases (102) and slugging (.689).  He hit safely in 33-of-38 games played including 23 multi-hit efforts.

Listed below are the full All-ODAC Baseball Teams.  For more information, visit the websites of the participating schools, or go to the ODAC's home on the Internet at www.odaconline.com. Don't forget to become a fan of the ODAC on Facebook and follow the ODAC on Twitter at @odacathletics.