Several area players enjoyed stellar seasons playing in the Blue Mountain League.

But none more than Tamaqua graduate Casey Rother, who was named league MVP.

The Lehigh University sophomore batted .469 (fourth-best in the league) in 30 games for the Northern Yankees, and collecting 45 hits in 96 at bats, with 24 RBIs, 24 runs scored, 10 doubles and 16 walks. He also added two home runs and a triple.

Rother finished with a .534 on base percentage, .656 slugging percentage and 1.190 OPS.

In addition to the MVP award, Rother was also an all-league selection at third base. Rother started 30 of the 32 games he played in during his freshman season with the Mountain Hawks, and was named Patriot League Rookie of the Week after an impressive showing in the first series of the season against Duke.

Rother’s teammate, Dan Keer, was an all-league pick as a designated hitter. Keer, the Times News Baseball Player of the Year for Marian in 2017, hit .372 in 22 games (78 at bats) for the Yankees. He finished with 25 runs scored, 16 RBIs, 12 doubles, two home runs and pair of triples, while also posting a .417 OBP, .654 SLG and 1.071 OPS.

Keer earned First Team All-MEC honors for his play for the Shepherd University baseball team this past spring. Keer appeared in 33 games, making 28 starts, and batted .337 with 33 hits in 98 at-bats. Keer drove in 20 runs and scored 24, adding nine doubles and two home runs.

In addition to Keer and Rother, former Pleasant Valley stadnout Pat Kregeloh (Northampton) was an all-league selection at shortstop, and earned the league’s home run award with eight.

A former two-time Times News Baseball Player of the Year, Kregeloh hit .338 in 22 games (71 at bats). He drove in 24 runs and scored 25 to go along with four doubles, a .427 OBP, .732 SLG and 1.159 OPS.

The Giants (23-7-1) advanced to the BML championship series this past season, falling to Limeport. which won its fourth title in five years. The Yankees finished the year with an 18-12 record.