Coronavirus times gave D3baseball.com a chance to shine a spotlight on its best players a little ahead of schedule.
With the pandemic wiping out the 2020 college season, the website had more time to compile a list of the top talent of the past 10 years.
A former WPIAL player made the list.
Nick Vento, a Franklin Regional product who raided the record books at Washington & Jefferson before graduating in 2017, was named to the D3baseball.com 2010s All-Decade Team.
Vento made the third team as an outfielder.
Nick Vento ’17 named to https://t.co/yNWPf59AMp All-Decade Team@DubJayBaseball @wjcollege @PAC_Athletics @_FRBaseball#PrezPride #d3baseball #pacbaseball https://t.co/HbSI4pWW5S
— Washington & Jefferson Athletics (@wjathletics) August 26, 2020
Eighty-two players were chosen based on All-American and All-Region recognition and record-setting accomplishments. They had to have played two years in the decade.
Vento holds W&J records for hits (255), home runs (26), doubles (53), RBIs (168), total bases (400), games started (180) and games played (182). He is second in batting average (.394).
“Nick Vento was one of the toughest, most hard-nosed kids I’ve ever had the pleasure to coach,” W&J coach Jeff Mountain said. “He was a football player trapped inside a baseball player’s uniform. When your team’s best player is also one of your toughest and most hard-working players, you’ve got a chance to have a really special team.”
A four-time All-PSAC first-team pick with multiple all-region honors, Vento was tabbed an All-American by D3baseball.com (honorable mention) and American Baseball Coaches Association/Rawlings (second team).
Vento helped lead the Presidents to a runner-up finish in the NCAA Division III Championships in 2017. That team won 42 games, the most in D-III that year and led the country in doubles (134), hits (637), home runs (53), and runs scored (493).
The full all-decade team can be viewed here.
What an honor for Nick Vento. And what a baseball player he was for W&J. Congrats! https://t.co/JSOqNKV73F
— W&J Baseball (@DubJayBaseball) August 26, 2020
