Four players from the Brookdale Community College softball and baseball teams have been named All-Americans for 2011.
For Coach Bo Scannapieco’s Jersey Blues softball team, freshman Chelsea Alston (Matawan Regional High School) and sophomore Tracey Stern (Shore Regional) were selected to the National FastPitch Coaches Association (NFCA) and National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) All-American Teams.
Coach Johnny Johnson’s baseball team was represented by pitcher Matt Yuhas (Freehold High School) and outfielder Lou Clemente (Roselle Catholic), who were recognized by the NJCAA.
Alston, the Jersey Blues’ table-setter at the top of the lineup, was named to the first team by both organizations. The outfielder had an outstanding freshman season, leading the country in stolen bases (51). She was caught stealing twice in 53 attempts. Alston batted .419 and scored 58 runs. She added 22 RBIs. Alston was an NJCAA All-American First Team and an NFCAAll-American selection, while sophomore Tracey Stern (Shore Regional High School) earned NFCAAll-American honors.
Both players, who were named to the NJCAAAll-Region XIX First Team earlier this year, were mainstays atop the national statistical leader board en route to a Region XIX second-place finish for the Jersey Blues.
Stern, a first baseman, had another big season for the Jersey Blues with the bat and the glove, ranking statistically with the best in the country. She had a .997 fielding percentage that put her fourth in the country. Offensively, she ranked eighth nationally in RBIs (58). Four times this spring she drove in at last four runs in a game. She belted eight home runs, tied for fifth best in the country. Stern hit .422 for the season.
Alston and Stern were First Team All- Region XIX picks.
Brookdale was the runner-up in the Region XIX tournament this year, finishing the season with a 42-9-1 record. Brookdale was ranked No. 6 in the country in the final NJCAA poll.
On the baseball diamond, Yuhas had a brilliant season for the Jersey Blues. The freshman righthander was the Region XIX Player of the Year as well as a First Team All-Region selection after a season in which he went 8-0 with a 1.62 ERA. In 62 innings, Yuhas allowed 31 hits, struck out 46 batters and issued four walks. He earned All-America First Team honors.
Clemente, also a freshman, was named to the All-America Second Team by the NJCAA. He hit .409 with 40 RBIs and eight stolen bases.
Brookdale finished the 2011 baseball season with a 31-13 record and was ranked in the top 10 for most of the season.