Hall of Fame
All-American Steve Ballerini rates among the great power hitters in Rutgers-Newark history, ranking in Scarlet Raider top 10 in virtually every batting category. The right-hander set a new R-N standard for doubles with 49. He finished his four-year career ranked seventh in batting average (.367), eighth in slugging percentage (.614), second in hits (193), tied for second in triples (12), tied for sixth in home runs (19), second in runs batted in (151), second in total bases (323). He put up these lofty numbers despite playing the 1999 season when the New Jersey Athletic Conference used wooden bats when virtually every other league in the NCAA used metal bats.
Ballerini was the NJAC Rookie of the Year in 1999 after hitting .333 with a dozen extra-base hits (seven doubles, three triples and two home runs).
His final two seasons were among the best in Scarlet & Black history. As a junior in 2001, he batted .412 with a sizzling .709 slugging percentage. He piled up an incredible 28 extra-base hits with 16 doubles, eight triples and four home runs while driving in 45 runs in just 38 games. The eight triples were the second most in a season in Raider history.
As a senior in 2002, Ballerina was named the American Baseball Coaches of America NCAA Division III All-America second team after posting a .429 batting average (the seventh best season in Raider history) and an impressive .757 slugging percentage (the eighth best season in the R-N books). He was named the New Jersey Collegiate Baseball Association’s Division II-III Player of the Year as well as earning All-NJAC first-team laurels.
After graduation from Rutgers-Newark, he played two seasons of professional baseball in Italy, helping his team take a league championship in 2003.
