Five Senators gain Valley League honors

By: David Fawcett | InsideNova
Published: January 23, 2010

The Valley Baseball League announced its 2009 All-Valley divisional teams Thursday with five Haymarket players selected to the North squad.

Third baseman Greg Hopkins and relief pitcher Jack Leathersich headlined the Senators' honorees, which also included first baseman Michael Demma, second baseman Tom LaStella and outfielder Mike Lang.

Hopkins, who batted over .400 for most of Haymarket's championship season, finished the year with a .345 average with four home runs and 33 runs batted in. Leathersich was one of the VBL's top relievers, striking out a league-best 15.6 hitters per nine innings in 37 frames of work. He allowed just nine runs on his way to six saves.

Lang hit a team-high seven homers in just 35 games and 140 at-bats and batted .357 once he joined the Senators after leaving the Cape Cod League. He was also successful in seven of his eight steal attempts.

LaStella batted .303 with six homers and a team-best 37 RBI while striking out just 13 times in 201 at-bats.

Demma was a .280 hitter and drove in 20 runs for Haymarket.<