Balich Headlines Region 3 & Conference Awards
CONTACT: Adam Sopris, a.sopris@hvcc.edu,(518) 629-7898 or (518) 416-2137
FOR RELEASE: Immediate, Thursday, May 15, 2025
The Hudson Valley Community College baseball program capped off a remarkable 2025 regular season by earning seven All-Region and All-Conference selections. The Vikings finished with a dominant 35-2 overall record (25-1 in Region 3), securing the top seed in the NJCAA Region 3 East Division.
Jameson Balich led the way, earning NJCAA Region 3 Player of the Year and Mountain Valley Conference Player of the Year honors. Balich has had a spectacular season at the plate, leading the nation with a .523 batting average. He totaled 20 multi-hit games, 57 hits, and is tied for the team lead with seven home runs and 45 RBIs. His .644 on-base percentage and .890 slugging percentage also top the team. Balich was additionally named First Team All-Region and First Team All-Conference.
Joining Balich with postseason honors are Alex Deitz and Tyree Jackson, who were named to the All-Region Second Team. Niko Sorice, Tyler Spenard, Logan Norman, and Nico DeSanto earned All-Region Third Team recognition. Jackson and Norman were also named to the Region 3 Gold Glove Team for their outstanding defensive play. Hunter Stolov, Matthew Carrera, Brendan Connolly were named to the All-Conference Teams.
Alex Deitz emerged as one of the most reliable pitchers in a deep Hudson Valley rotation. He posted a 5-0 record across nine appearances, tossing 35.1 innings with a 1.78 ERA, allowing only 8 runs on 15 hits, and leading the team with 53 strikeouts.
Tyree Jackson, last season's conference player of the year, overcame early-season injuries to lead the team with seven home runs. A defensive standout, Jackson was named to the All-Glove Team. Offensively, he hit .369 with a .846 slugging percentage over 21 games, notching 24 hits, 25 RBIs, 13 stolen bases, and 27 runs scored.
Niko Sorice staged an impressive comeback season after missing the previous year, hitting .372 and serving as the team's primary catcher. He anchored a pitching staff that posted a 2.76 team ERA, ranking second nationally, behind only Niagara.
Tyler Spenard led the team in pitching record, going 6-0 in eight appearances. He threw 34.1 innings, allowing just 7 earned runs, for a 1.83 ERA and a 0.96 WHIP, adding 37 strikeouts to his stat line.
Logan Norman posted the second-highest batting average on the team at .425 over 39 games. He totaled 51 hits, 45 RBIs, four home runs, 23 extra-base hits, and 49 runs scored, while swiping 22 bases. Defensively, Norman excelled with a .982 fielding percentage and 54 putouts in right field, earning him All-Glove Team honors.
Nico DeSanto played multiple positions throughout the year but settled in as the team's designated hitter. He hit .397 with 46 hits, 15 extra-base hits, 37 RBIs, and 37 runs scored in 35 games.
Stolov grabbed first team conference honors as he closes out his career with the Vikings. In 2025, he finished with a 2-0 record in eight appearances over 33 innings pitched. He was instrumental to the starting rotation, posting a 1.91 ERA as the left-handed star allowed seven earned runs and added 39 strikeouts. He completes his career with 10 wins, a 2.90 ERA and 85 strikeouts.
Carrera finished the year with a .392 batting average with 34 RBIs and scored 48 runs while stealing 20 bases. He has spent the last two seasons as the team's leadoff hitter, and he continues to set the pace for the potent offense each game. He has 12 multi-hit games, including four hits against Erie in the NJCAA Region 3 sub-regional round last weekend. Carrera concludes his career at HVCC with a .406 batting average, 93 hits, 62 RBIs, 87 runs scored and 47 stolen bases.
Connolly has been one of the team's top hitters this season, posting a .370 batting average and bolstered two home runs over 39 games played. He has scored 41 runs and stole 22 bases while driving in 36 RBIs. He leaves HVCC with a career .354 batting average with 69 hits, 59 RBIs, 62 runs scored and 28 stolen bases.
This season represents one of the finest in program history under sixth-year head coach Josh Parrow, who was named Mountain Valley Conference Coach of the Year for the third time. The Vikings' 37 wins are the second-most in a single season in program history and the most since 2004, when Hudson Valley went 44-10.
The Vikings head to Auburn, NY today to open play in the NJCAA Region 3 Championship Tournament, taking on Herkimer at 5 PM at Falcon Park, hosted by Cayuga Community College.