Panas, Thomas & Bishop Take Final MAAC Baseball Weekly Awards of 2015
MAAC Sports
Player of the Week
Connor Panas, Canisius
Sr., 3B, 6-0, Toronto, Ontario/Etobicoke Collegiate
Connor Panas wrapped up the regular season with a strong week at the dish, registering nine hits and eight RBI in four games. Panas secured a .500 batting average as his three triples and eight RBI against Niagara, helped Canisius secure the No. 2 seed in the upcoming MAAC tournament. The senior notched RBI in each of his three games against the Griffs’ rival, as his five-RBI performance in game two proved to be his weekend high. Also with his third triple of the weekend on Friday, he tied the school record in career three-baggers with 12.
Pitcher of the Week
Ryan Thomas, Marist
So., RHP, 6-0, Ringoes, N.J./Hunderton Central
Senior right-hander Ryan Thomas picked up his ninth and 10th save in the doubleheader at Saint Peter’s this weekend. Thomas came in to the game in the ninth inning and pitched a scoreless and hitless inning to secure the Red Foxes 5-run comeback win in game one. In game two, Thomas was again called upon to save the game this time with one out remaining. With a runner on third Thomas got the batter to fly out to the third basemen to end the game and secure the Red Foxes spot in the post season.
Rookie of the Week
Jordan Bishop, Siena
Fr., 2B, 6-1, Wappinger Falls, N.Y./Roy C. Ketcham
Bishop was sensational in Siena’s regular-season ending series win at Fairfield, posting multiple hits in all three games while driving in six runs and scoring four times. He hit .500 with a .562 on-base percentage and an .857 slugging percentage against the Stags. Bishop delivered the big blow in the Saints’ 11-5 series-opening victory – a grand slam in the eighth inning (his first career home run) that highlighted a six-run frame and broke open a tie game. It was one of three hits the Saints’ second baseman had in game one. He followed that effort up with two hits in the nightcap, and his two-run double in the fourth drove in two of the Saints’ three runs in the game and staked the team to an early 3-1 lead. Bishop had two hits and a pair of runs scored in Siena’s 6-5 11-inning rubber game victory Friday. He got the Saints four-run eighth inning started with a leadoff single, and was hit by a pitch to start the winning rally in the 11th.
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