Nulph named OEC MVP; Hill brothers share Pitcher of the Year honors
IRVINE -- The All-Orange Empire Conference Team for 2014 is covered in orange and blue as several Orange Coast College Pirates were selected to this year's squad.
The Pirates -- co-champions of the OEC with Santa Ana -- had six players selected to the first team, while four more were chosen for second-team honors during Monday's end-of-the-season meeting among the conference's head coaches.
Sophomore Cody Nulph was selected as the OEC Player of the Year, while David Hill and Jacob Hill shared OEC Pitcher of the Year honors.
Nulph, who is heading to the Auburn University in the Fall, batted .393 in conference (only OEC stats were considered for all-conference team) with 35 hits (both tops in conference), seven doubles and 13 RBI. A consistent hitter, Nulph currently has a 21-game hit streak, including the final 20 games of conference. On defense, the slick-fielding shortstop committed only four errors in 21 games on 101 chances with 69 assists and 28 putouts. For the season, Nulph is batting .399 (9th-best in the state) with 57 hits (T-4th), 13 doubles (T-13th), one home run and 23 RBI.
While Nulph anchored the heart of the OCC batting order, the Hill brothers were taking care of business on the mound for the Pirates in 2014.
David Hill led the conference innings pitched (64 2/3), complete games (three), strikeouts (55) and ERA (1.11), going 5-1 along the way. For the season, David is 9-1 (T-4th in the state in wins), with a 0.91 ERA (12th), allowing just nine earned runs with 91 strikeouts (4th) over 88 2/3 innings (11th).
David's brother, Jacob, nearly matched identical brother in every impressive category and topped him in others. Jacob led the conference by going 7-0 in the OEC with a 1.37 ERA, allowing just seven earned runs over 46 innings with 11 walks and 36 strikeouts. For the season, Jacob's 10 wins is tied for second-most in the state. Over 61 innings, he has allowed nine earned runs with 17 walks and 54 strikeouts. Both pitchers are slated to attend the University of San Diego in the Fall.
For the fifth time in his coaching career, Pirate skipper John Altobelli was named OEC-Coach of the Year, sharing the honors with Santa Ana College's Bryan Harris and John Bryant.
Others receiving first-team honors for the Pirates include sophomore catcher Daniel Delaney, sophomore right-fielder Tommy Bell and sophomore center-fielder Cody Bruder.
The Valparaiso University-bound Delaney played in 19 conference games and batted .294 with 20 hits, 10 runs, five doubles, two home runs and nine RBI. For the season, Delaney maintained his consistency and batted .294 overall with 30 hits, 13 runs and 13 RBI.
Bell, a mainstay in the heart of the Pirate lineup, batted .316 in conference with 24 hits, five doubles, three home runs and 21 RBI. For the season, Bell is batting .395 with 47 hits, 10 doubles, four home runs and 33 RBI.
Bruder has been a steady, two-year for the Pirates, playing all three outfield positions. He batted .348 with 32 hits, 16 runs, three doubles, a conference-best five triples, 12 RBI and just seven strikeouts from the top of the Coast lineup. For the season, Bruder is second in the state with seven triples to go along with a .369 batting average, 55 hits (T-7th), eight doubles and 22 RBI.
Four more Pirates earned second-team honors this year, helping Coast earn a No. 1 seed in the playoffs and a home-field advantage throughout the Regionals.
That second-team quartet includes (with overall stats) freshman relief pitcher Dominic Purpura (1-0, one save, 0.98 ERA, 16 strikeouts in 18 1/3 IP), sophomore first baseman Chris Iriart (.326 batting average, 44 hits, state-best eight home runs, 33 RBI), sophomore infielder Justin Broussard (.289, 13 hits, three doubles, six RBI) and freshman outfielder Robert Longtree (.316, 31 hits, 10 RBI).
