North Adams, MA -- The North Adams SteepleCats of the New England Collegiate Baseball League are proud to announce that three players have been named to the Western Division team for the 2011 All-Star Game on July 27 in Lynn, Massachusetts. Two position players (Mike LeBel, JR-IF, URI) and (Jacob Daniel, JR-OF, Eastern Kentucky) and one pitcher (Cameron Copping, JR-RHP, Buffalo) will represent North Adams at Fraser Field, the home of the defending league champion North Shore Navigators.

LeBel will be making his second straight All-Star team for the SteepleCats after returning to North Adams midway through the 2011 season. In 12 games so far, the Quincy, Massachusetts native has a team leading .442 batting average (19-for-43) with two home runs and five RBIs. LeBel’s added a nice spark atop the order batting second behind Chantz Mack, and has also provided 11 runs scored while improving the entire infield as the anchor at shortstop. Last season, LeBel batted .255 with 3 home runs and 17 RBIs while playing in 39 of the ‘Cats 42 regular season games. He spiked his on-base percentage with 29 walks and was dangerous on the bases with an impressive 30 runs scored. Along with fellow SteepleCat Tom Coulombe, LeBel was one of the most productive – and feared – hitters in the University of Rhode Island lineup in 2010. He displayed uncanny power for his size and hit leadoff as well as in the three-hole for the Rams, batting .338 with a team-leading nine home runs, 34 RBI and 19 stolen bases. In 163 starts over 3 seasons for the Rams, LeBel is a career .312 hitter with 24 home runs and 110 RBIs.

Jacob Daniel has enjoyed a fine season in the middle of the SteepleCats lineup, and is among the league leaders in RBIs. Coming from Russellville, Alabama, Daniel has lived up to the high expectations after a terrific junior season for the Colonels of Eastern Kentucky University. Overall, he’s batting .268 with 10 runs scored, and has greatly improved his defense in the outfield, splitting time between center and right. Not your typical mid-lineup hitter, Daniel has four stolen bases and has added a .364 on-base percentage, aided by a team-leading 6 HBPs. At his best with runners in scoring position, Daniel has also tallied a ‘Cats best 4 sacrifice flies. He wrapped up his junior year in 2011 after leading the Colonels in two of the three Triple Crown categories with 9 home runs and 43 RBIs to complement an intimidating .350 batting average (2nd). Starting in 51 contests, Daniel showed off his proclivity for reaching base by accumulating a .442 OBP and an astounding 1.014 OPS. He finished in the top seven in eight different offensive categories in the Ohio Valley Conference.

The lone pitcher sent to Lynn from North Adams is Cameron Copping, a tall right-hander from the University of Buffalo by way of Temple City, California. Copping has made a case as one of the best starters in the Western Division with a 2-1 record in 4 starts, including a remarkable 1.53 ERA. Pitching to contact, he has surrendered 30 hits in 29.1 innings but has struck out 22 with just six walks. Copping was also named the NECBL Pitcher of the Week for the week ending July 9 after picking up a 7-inning victory with just 2 hits and one walk allowed, while striking out 8 as the ‘Cats blanked the Schooners 3-0 on July 4 at Joe Wolfe Field. So far, it is the only league honor given to a SteepleCat this season. From the outset, his season could be considered an enigmatic endeavor after a tough junior year at the University of Buffalo in which he only won one game as the third starter in the Bulls’ starting rotation. But after working closely with pitching coach Mike Vicaro and catchers Brett Frantini and Mike Zavala, Copping has turned his year around and is looking forward to coming out of the bullpen for an inning on July 27.

To learn more about the 2011 NECBL All-Star Game at Fraser Field in Lynn, Massachusetts, visit the league’s website at www.necbl.com. You’ll be able to listen to or watch the game courtesy of TeamLine and the NECBL Broadcast Network when the Eastern and Western Division teams take the field at 6:30 on Thursday, July 27.