Pirates’ pair are MVPs

Orange Coast College sophomores Jordan Beck and Matt Moynihan have been named Co-Players of the Year in the Orange Empire Conference by the league’s baseball coaches.

Freshman pitcher Jed Vandernaald, sophomore second baseman Zach Chavez, sophomore center fielder Kevin Cho and freshman left fielder Chris Carlson also represent OCC on the all-conference first team.

Freshman pitcher Chad Thompson and freshman catcher Trent Woodward are Pirates chosen to the second team.

Moynihan, a transfer from the University of San Diego, led conference players with a .480 batting average in conference games. His .534 slugging and .667 on-base percentage in conference play also topped all players.

For the season, Moynihan, a right fielder and designated hitter, is batting .452 with one home run, 30 runs batted in and 10 stolen bases.

Beck, who alternated between first base and shortstop, hit .416 in conference play, 47 points better than his overall season average. His 37 hits and 28 RBIs during conference play led all Orange Empire players.

Heading into the Southern California Regional playoffs, in which OCC (28-8) plays host to Alan Hancock in a best-of-three series beginning Friday at 2 p.m., Beck is hitting .370 with a team-leading 42 RBIs.

Vandernaald, who made 11 of his 14 appearances out of the bullpen posted a 7-1 record with a 2.29 earned-run average. He struck out 42 and allowed 49 hits in 51 innings.

Chavez, whose status for the postseason is in doubt due to a back injury that sidelined him for the final two weeks of the regular season, hit .345 with one homer, 22 RBIs and 12 stolen bases.

Cho batted .340 in 35 games, with 15 RBIs, 39 runs and 10 steals.

Carlson, the only Pirate to play in and start every game, batted .340 with one homer, 34 RBIs and a team-leading 43 runs.

Thompson, who is 3-0 with a 2.04 ERA, made nine appearances after recovering from Tommy John surgery. He started seven games, striking out 29 in 35 1/3 innings. He allowed 28 hits.

Woodward hit .344 with 20 RBIs in the regular season with a .470 on-base percentage.

Santa Ana sophomore Ben Burke was named Pitcher of the Year and the Dons’ Don Sneddon was named Coach of the Year.

Santa Ana won the conference crown. OCC finished second.

— From staff reports