April 25, 2006
Bucknell senior centerfielder Kyle Walter was named Patriot League Player of the Week for the first time this season, while Holy Cross freshman shortstop Jake Gorman was also a first-time honoree, earning Patriot League Rookie of the Week mention. Army senior hurler Nick Hill was named Patriot League Pitcher of the Week for the second time this season.
Patriot League Baseball Weekly Report - April 25, 2006
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Player of the Week
KYLE WALTER
Bucknell -- Sr., CF/P
(Mifflinburg, Pa./Mifflinburg Area)
Walter batted .526 (10-for-19), owned a .789 slugging percentage, scored three runs and batted in 10 in a 4-1 week for the Bison. With a double in his second at-bat of game three against Holy Cross on Monday, Walter became third Bucknell player and ninth in Patriot League history to reach the 200 career hits plateau. With two doubles last week, Walter tied the Bucknell career record of 44. The senior centerfielder finished game four against Holy Cross a triple shy of hitting for the cycle. This is the first Patriot League Player of the Week award for Walter this season.
Pitcher of the Week
NICK HILL
Army -- Jr., RHP
(Bluff City, Tenn./Sullivan East)
Hill fired a complete-game, two-hitter against archrival Navy in game one of the series on Sunday at Camden Yards in front of a crowd of 2,550. Hill carried a no-hitter into the fifth inning and permitted just one base runner to reach scoring position until the seventh. Hill struck out eight batters and walked just two in a game that was 1-0 until the top of the seventh when the Black Knights scored three insurance runs. Hill now sports a 0.86 career ERA against Navy in three starts. This is the second Patriot League Pitcher of the Week award for Hill this season.
Rookie of the Week
JAKE GORMAN
Holy Cross -- Fr., SS
(Norfolk, Mass./Xaverian Brothers)
Gorman hit .352 with four runs scored and six RBI for the Crusaders last week. Gorman racked up a career-high five RBI after launching a ninth-inning grand slam to cap a three-run come-from-behind victory on Wednesday at Dartmouth. Gorman's best day against Bucknell was a 1-for-3 showing at the plate, where he hit a double and scored a run in Holy Cross' only win of the four game set. This is Gorman's first career Patriot League Rookie of the Week award and the third for a Holy Cross player this year.
Conference Notebook
Patriot League Picture
Lehigh remains in first place in the Patriot League standings having going 3-1 against rival Lafayette this past week. Army took three of four from rival Navy, while Bucknell did the same against Holy Cross.
It will come down to the last weekend in Patriot League play to clear up postseason scenarios. The top three teams as determined by the regular season standings will move on to the tournament hosted by the highest seed.
Big Crowds
Army and Navy played in front of 2,550 fans at Camden Yards, home of the Baltimore Orioles, on Sunday in a game televised on CSTV. The doubleheader included the first collegiate contests played at Camden Yards in its 15-year history.
Earlier in the week, Army played in the inaugural Hudson Valley Baseball Classic versus Marist in front of 2,619 at Dutchess Stadium in Fishkill, N.Y. The crowd is believed to be the largest to watch a college baseball game in the Hudson Valley.
200 Hit Club
Bucknell's Kyle Walter became the ninth Patriot League player to become a member of 200-career hits club this past weekend. Walter now has 202 in his career.
The three next likely candidates to reach 200 career hits are Army's Milan Dinga (188), Holy Cross' Tucker Frawley (184) and Lehigh's Matt McBride (180).
Triple Crown
Lehigh's McBride ranks first in the Patriot League in all three triple crown categories, batting .432 with 46 RBI and nine home runs. With 73 hits this season he is Lehigh's single-season leader and is eight away from tying the Patriot League single-season record of 81.
Even with taking a week off due to minor injury, Navy's Mitch Harris leads the Patriot League in all three pitching triple crown categories - ERA (1.94), wins (nine) and strikeouts (98). Harris' strikeout total is second on the Patriot League's single-season list and just seven shy of tying the record held by former Mid Scott Kozink of 105.
NCAA Trends
According to the NCAA Mid-Season Trends Report issued last Thursday, the Patriot League ranks third in the nation in stolen bases.
Honor Roll
Both Army's Dinga and Lehigh's McBride were named to the College Baseball Foundation National Honor Roll last Tuesday.