Shannon leads Penn all-Ivys

Co-captain picked forCo-captain picked forfirst team, threeCo-captain picked forfirst team, threeothers on second team It's been a miserable end to the season for the Penn baseball team. Five consecutive losses to Princeton spelled the end of not only the 1996 campaign, but the team's reign as Ivy League champions. But things got a little brighter for four Penn players last week when the All-Ivy teams were announced. The Quakers were well-represented, with one pick on the first team, and another three on the second team. The most prominent Penn product was Mike Shannon, the first baseman/pitcher who was named Player of the Year, and gained a spot on the first team. It isn't hard to see why the Montoursville, Pa., native was so designated. Shannon batted .444 overall, including .469 in Ivy League contests, making him the winner of the coveted Blair Bat, the conference hitting title. The senior co-captain also threw in 18 doubles and ran up a 3-0 mark as the Quakers' No.1 starter. Dan Thompson, a senior at Yale, was selected as Pitcher of the Year, while Harvard's Hal Carey garnered Rookie of the Year honors. Thompson went 4-1 with a 2.65 ERA in Ivy League action. Carey hit .319 in helping the Crimson to a league-best 14-6 record and the Red Rolfe Division title. Big things were expected of Shannon after a 1995 campaign in which he was selected as a third-team All-American, and led the Quakers to the NCAA tournament. He delivered and in doing so became the first Quaker ever selected as Player of the Year. "He definitely deserves it," Penn coach Bob Seddon said. "He's one of the better hitters we've ever had here." Although his last game in a Penn uniform was an 18-1 rout of La Salle on April 24 in which he went 6-for-7 at bat, Shannon's career ultimately ended in disappointment. The team's finest offensive performer was relegated to the bench with a cut hand for Penn's last five games, all five of which were losses to eventual Ivy League champion Princeton. "I would have liked to finish out the season," Shannon said. "Our goal was to win an Ivy League championship and get back to the college tournament. That was really fun." Shannon, who says he enjoys travelling and playing the game, would like to extend his career beyond college ball. He will find out sometime next month if his days as player are over. The annual amateur baseball draft takes place during the first week of June, and teams will also be signing undrafted free agents in the weeks after. Also recognized by the Ivy League were three second-team all-Ivy players -- shortstop Mark DeRosa, centerfielder Sean Turner, and designated hitter Mark Nagata. DeRosa, a junior who along with teammate Armen Simonian is playing in the prestigious Cape Cod League this summer, overcame a slow start to finish fifth in the league in RBIs with 36. Senior Turner, who transferred to Penn from Stanford before the 1994 campaign, was among the leaders in hits and doubles. Nagata enjoyed a productive a sophomore season in the designated hitter's role. A pair of Penn softball players were chosen for the All-Ivy second team. Junior Laurie Nestler earned a spot in the outfield by batting .320 overall, while outfielder Arlyn Katzen was selected as the utility player. The versatile freshman hit .276 in Ivy League play while playing both catcher and outfield.