Poland grad sets marks

Dan Bertolini, a senior shortstop for the Mercyhurst College baseball team from Poland High, capped his career by setting two team precedents this year.

After completing a season filled with highlight-reel defensive plays, Bertolini became the first Mercyhurst shortstop to win the North Central Region Gold Glove by the American Baseball Coaches Association.

He also wound up his four-year career by playing in a school-record 202 games, including 51 this season.

Bertolini achieved a .964 fielding percentage, which led all starting shortstops in the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference.

That percentage also was the highest among all league players with at least 200 defensive chances who were not first basemen or catchers.

Bertolini also had a strong senior season at the plate with 52 hits that ranked second on the team.

He was 8-for-8 in stolen base attempts and had a .319 batting average, and made the All-GLIAC second team.

As a junior, he batted .335 and made the All-GLIAC team as an honorable mention. He batted .269 as a sophomore and led the nation in sacrifice hits, and hit .268 as a freshman with 20 RBIs.

The son of Susan and Emil Bertolini, Dan is majoring in elementary education, and was selected to the GLIAC all-academic team in 2006 and 2007.

Smith is Ashland’s co-MVP as runner

Edwin Smith, a junior on the Ashland University men’s track team from Ursuline High, was named the Eagles’ co-Most Valuable Player in running events this year along with Nick Bellanco, a junior from Wooster.

In the indoor season, Smith gained All-American honors at the NCAA Division II national indoor championships in Mankato, Minn., as a member of the 4x400 relay that placed fourth in 3 minutes, 17.26 seconds.

He helped Ashland to a fifth-place finish in the meet.

In the outdoor season, he was a member of the 4x400 relay team that won the gold medal in 3:10.31 at the All-Ohio Championships on April 21 at the University of Cincinnati, helping the Eagles to place fourth.

Smith also helped Ashland win the GLIAC outdoor track and field championship May 2 as a member of the winning 4x400 relay, and he also placed third in the 400 in 47.81.

And in the NCAA Div. II national championships May 24 in Pomona, Calif., Smith was a member of the 4x400 relay that placed fourth in 3:10.50 to help the Eagles place third after they were fourth in 2007.

Also on the Ashland roster was freshman sprinter Brandon Davis from Warren Harding.

Shaffer, Bondor, Woods on B-W softball team

The Baldwin-Wallace College softball team listed five Youngstown-area players on the roster this season, headed by junior Jessica Shaffer (Brookfield High), a pitcher and outfielder with a 2-3 record and 3.82 earned run average in nine appearances.

At the plate, Shaffer had seven hits, four runs scored, three RBIs and two doubles in 19 games.

The daughter of Dale and Kathleen Shaffer, Jessica is majoring in early chilhood education.

The roster also listed freshmen Macy Marra (Western Reserve, outfielder), Brittany Snyder (West Branch, shortstop), Christina Woods (Hickory, outfielder) and Kelley Bondor (Girard, catcher).

XJohn Kovach writes about area college athletes for The Vindicator. Write to him at kovach@vindy.com.