PETERSBURG, Va. - Shortstop Ariel Polanco (Sr./Harlem, N.Y.) of Saint Augustine's University was named CIAA baseball player of the year, and left fielder Jason Baytop of the Falcons was selected CIAA baseball rookie of the year at the CIAA Spring Sports Festival Awards Banquet held at the Gateway Dining & Event Center on the Virginia State University campus on Wednesday, April 17, 2013.

Polanco heads five players on the All-CIAA teams including four in the first team. In addition to Polanco, the Falcons placed right-hand pitcher John Hailey (Sr./Rockingham, N.C.), catcher Clarence Peace (Jr./Creedmoor, N.C.) and first baseman Pat Hall (Sr./Virginia Beach, Va.) on the first team. Utility player Daveed Todd (Sr./Chicago, Ill.) landed on the second team.

Baytop was one of five Falcons on the All-CIAA rookie team. The others are right-hand pitcher Desmond Cheek (Fr./Asheboro, N.C.), utility player William Thomas (Fr./Yorktown, Va.), third baseman Carey Cheek (Fr./Baltimore, Md.) and center fielder Bobby Delly (Fr./Lancaster, S.C.).

Polanco ranked first in the CIAA in batting average (.401) and slugging percentage (.765) in conference games. He was also first in conference games in doubles (10) and total bases (52).

Overall, Polanco was second in the conference in batting average (.401), third in slugging percentage (.635) and home runs (4), and fourth in RBIs (43). He is the third Falcon to win league most valuable player honors in six seasons.

“Everyone on this team deserves this award,” Polanco said. “I share this with them, every single one of them, and my coaches.”

Baytop ranked first in CIAA games in hits (31) and third in batting average (.437). Overall, Baytop ranks fifth in hits (57) and sixth in batting average (.370) in the conference.

“I would like to thank Coach [Charles] Whitaker and Coach [Tom] Stewart for pushing me to be the best I can be,” Baytop said. “I would like to thank my teammates as well as my parents for always believing in me. Hard work really pays off.”

Both Polanco and Baytop led the Falcons (26-20 overall) to a second-place CIAA finish in the regular season at 13-5. The Falcons, seeded second, face third-seed Virginia State University in the first round of the CIAA Baseball Tournament at 10 a.m. on Thursday, April 18, 2013, at Virginia State University.