Rapids Pitcher Chris Zbin Heading to Fenway
By Doug Raftery: Rapids Media Intern
Fenway Park is a shrine for baseball enthusiasts, while many adults and kids dream of playing there one day. Rockbridge Rapids pitcher Christopher Zbin (Colchester, Conn./Southern Connecticut State University) gets to live that dream. After an unforgettable spring season for the Southern Connecticut State Owls, the left-handed Zbin has been selected to play in the New England Intercollegiate Baseball Association All-Star Game Sunday, June 6 at Fenway Park. The game is between Division I All-Stars and Division II/Division III Senior All-Stars.
Zbin, who just completed his sophomore year, had one of the best pitching seasons in Owl history. He went 7-2 with a 2.49 ERA, while striking out 101 batters through only 79.2 innings. He more then doubled his strikeout total from his freshman season, as he struck out only 47 hitters that year, which led the team. This season, he had one complete game, and held opposing hitters to a miniscule .205 batting average against.
His doesn’t come as a surprise to him. “My freshman summer ball in Hawaii really helped me,” Zbin said. “I really worked on my curveball and the efficiency of my pitches.”
This season, Zbin received many accolades to go along with his impressive statistics. He garnered multiple All-Region selections, First-Team All-Northeast-10 Conference honoree, and Honorable Mention All-American. “My coaches expected me to get eight wins this year. Going into the season, I wasn’t sure how it was going to turn out because we are in a tough conference” Zbin said. “I came a little short [with the wins], but I knew we had a good, young team.”
Rapids pitching Coach Evan Wise can already tell why there is so much hype regarding this young man in Rockbridge. “Zbin is a talented young player. He is a sound pitcher, and commands the baseball well. He keeps the ball in the strike zone,” Wise said. “He uses three pitches so effectively. Going to Fenway is a huge honor for him, and I know he will represent his college and the Rapids well.”
His success doesn’t come as a surprise to fellow college and now Rapids teammate starting pitcher Ryan Yerina (Trumbull, Conn./Southern Connecticut State). “Going out from day one, our coach told us that we were the 1-2 punch, and Chris went out and did his job every time out and kept the runs down,” Yerina said. “Obviously he wanted to win every time out, but starting 5-0 is a tough thing to do.”
Zbin leaves for Fenway Park Saturday, June 5 and will return to Rockbridge on Monday, June 7 to pitch the summer season. The community is fully behind him, and there will certainly be a buzz around the stadium when he starts his first game this summer for the Rapids.
