LIU’s Loeschorn keeps racking up honors

Senior hurler named First-Team All-Northeast Region

June 16, 2022 John Torenli, Sports Editor

Joshua Loeschorn (center) finished his career at LIU with an NEC title and trip to the NCAA Regionals. Now, he's hoping to be selected in the 2022 MLB Draft. Photo courtesy of LIU Athletics

Share this:

Though he’s a month away from potentially getting selected in the 2022 MLB Draft, Long Island University’s Joshua Loeschorn continues to be honored in the aftermath of the Sharks’ historic run to the NCAA Regionals.

On Wednesday, Loeschorn, a 6-foot-3 right-handed starter and staff ace for the Northeast Conference champion Sharks, was named First-Team All-Northeast Region by the American Baseball Coaches Association.

Loeschorn, who inked a professional deal with the Frontier League’s New York Boulders in Pomona, N.Y., earlier this week, could be the first LIU player taken in the 20-round draft, which will be held from July 17 to 19 in Los Angeles.

The first-team honor, which was voted on by ABCA members, who will announce their All-America team Friday, adds to a long list of awards accumulated by the pitcher who fell one victory short of matching the all-time single-season wins record in Sharks history.

Loeschorn was recently named Collegiate Baseball Second-Team All-American. He previously had been selected NEC Pitcher of the Year, First-Team All-NEC and was a member of the NEC All-Tournament Team after LIU advanced to the NCAAs for the second time in four years.

The Butler, N.J., native went 11-3 with a 3.06 ERA and team-leading 104 strikeouts over 97 innings in 17 outings, including 16 starts. His victory total in 2022 ranked only behind Sal Campisi’s 12-win campaign in 1964.

Whether he was winning 11 games as a starter or getting a clutch save in the NEC Tournament, LIU right-hander Josh Loeschorn was always ready to take the ball for the Sharks. Photo courtesy of LIU Athletics

Loeschorn was also a force in the classroom, graduating summa cum laude with a 3.91 GPA and bachelor of science degree in computer science from on May 10.

Three weeks later, he pitched LIU to victory in the opener of their NEC tourney run, throwing 121 pitches in a 10-2 triumph over Fairleigh Dickinson.

“Josh showed again why he’s the conference pitcher of the year with that outing, going seven strong,” LIU head coach Dan Pirillo said.

“In this kind of tournament, you need a long outing from one of your guys. Josh is definitely that guy who can do it. He did it today. He shut down a good FDU lineup, which hit well all year.”

Two days later, Loeschorn came in and nailed down a save in the 13th inning of a 6-4 victory over Bryant, fanning NEC Player of the Year Matt Woods for the final out with the tying run on base.

“I told (Associate head coach) Carty today, ‘If you need an inning out of me today, I’ve got it,'” Loeschorn said.

“I worked hard all year — all four of these years — to make sure my body bounces back when I pitch. I felt when I was pitching today like I didn’t throw 120 pitches two days ago. When he asked if I wanted the ball, I said, ‘Yeah.'”

Loeschorn might be saying that to an MLB-affiliated coach or manager by next month.

***

Shervyen Newton’s three-run homer lifted the Cyclones over the Blue Rocks in Wilmington, Delaware on Wednesday. Photo courtesy of Brooklyn Cyclones

In local pro baseball action, Shervyen Newton blasted a three-run homer in the top of the fifth inning Wednesday to lift the Brooklyn Cyclones to a 4-2 victory over the Wilmington Blue Rocks in the opener of a doubleheader at Frawley Stadium in Wilmington, Delaware.

The Cyclones (25-33) were down a run when Newton connected on a 1-0 pitch to give Brooklyn the lead for good. The homer was Newton’s seventh this season and third with the New York Mets’ High-A East affiliate on Coney Island.

Right-handed starter Junior Santos (3-5) allowed a run on three hits with four walks and four strikeouts over 5 2/3 innings to earn the win. Grant Hartwig went the final 1 1/3 frames, fanning three and yielding one run to nail down the save.

Matt Rudick, just back from the injured list, ripped an RBI double to cap the scoring for the Cyclones, who dropped the nightcap 8-5.

Brooklyn will continue this eight-game series Thursday night.