Arico Named to Midseason Stopper of the Year Watch List

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CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. – Virginia junior relief pitcher Kevin Arico (Flemington, N.J.) has been named to the midseason watch list for the Stopper of the Year Award, presented by the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association. The award is annually presented to the top relief pitcher in NCAA Division I baseball.

Arico currently leads all Division I pitchers in saves with 11 this season. The right-hander owns a 2.37 ERA and has 27 strikeouts in 19.0 innings pitched. He has walked just four batters, while opposing hitters are batting .176 against him.

Arico already has matched his 2009 total for saves and is tied for third on the UVa single-season saves ledger. With 22 career saves, Arico ranks second in the UVa career saves records book.

At the conclusion of the regular season, the Division I national saves leader and four other relief pitching standouts will be selected as finalists on June 2, prior to start of NCAA regional tournament competition. The NCBWA’s All-America Committee then will select the winner, with this year’s recipient to be announced on the opening day of the College World Series on June 19.

Arico and the No. 1 Cavaliers will play host to No. 20 Virginia Tech in a three-game ACC series this weekend, beginning at 7 p.m. Friday.