Ortega, Poplawski, and Stewart Claim Weekly Honors
MAAC Sports
Player
of the Week
Ramon
Ortega, Manhattan College
Jr.,
S/R, C, 5-10, 210, Miami, Fla./Christopher Columbus
Ortega hit a sweltering .500 (9-for-18) with 6
of his 9 hits going for extra bases and he drove in 9 RBI to help the Jaspers
enjoy a perfect 5-0 week, four of those wins coming in MAAC play. Ortega led
Manhattan with a .654 on-base percentage and a 1.056 slugging percentage
starting in all five games behind the plate. Ortega began his spectacular week
with a 2-for-4 performance and 2 RBI in an 8-6 victory over Iona on Monday. He
posted his first of four doubles on the week against the Gaels. Then on Wednesday,
Ortega hit 4-for-5, drove in 4 runs, scored 4 runs, posted 2 doubles and
smashed a home run to help lift Manhattan to an 18-11 victory at Army, which
marked the Black Knights only home loss of the season. Ortega helped Manhattan
sweep its second straight MAAC series last weekend against Niagara. Ortega
blasted his third home run of the year on Friday in the Jaspers 6-5 victory in
extra innings over the Purple Eagles. On Sunday, Ortega propelled the Jaspers
to their eighth straight win as he had 2 RBI and hit his 4th double
of the week in a 2-for-4 effort at the plate in an 8-4 victory against Niagara.
Ortega scored 8 runs and was walked 6 times in the five games last week.
Pitcher
of the Week
Ryan
Poplawski, Siena College
Sr.,
LHP, 6-2, 180, North Syracuse, N.Y./Bishop Ludden
Poplawski delivered one of the league's top efforts of the year in
Siena's 3-0 series-opening victory over Iona. The senior southpaw went the
distance, striking out nine Gaels and walking just one. He allowed just seven
hits, and 87 of his 129 pitches went for strikes. Poplawski worked out of a jam
in the third, leaving runners at second and third with just one out and facing
the heart of the Iona order. In the seventh, the Gaels loaded the bases, but he
induced a pop-up to end the threat. Despite his high pitch count, Poplawski
finished the game strong retiring seven of the last eight men he faced.
Rookie
of the Week
Devon
Stewart, Canisius College
Fr.,
RHP, 6-2, 172, Maple Ridge, B.C./Samuel Robertson
Stewart went seven innings and
struck out nine in a no-decision at Penn State on Saturday. The freshman righty
allowed three runs, one earned, in his start while giving up six hits and
walking two. His nine strikeouts were the most by a Canisius pitcher this
season and most by a Canisius freshman pitcher since Alex Nimigon had 11
strikeouts on April 2, 2000, against Fairfield. Stewart retired the first eight
batters of the game and only allowed two runners past first base in the first
five innings.