GNAC Baseball Weekly Honors: April 19

By Melissa Maitland

GNAC Sports Information Specialist

Jonathan Melendez (Johnson & Wales), Todd Keneborus (St. Joseph’s (ME)), Mike Pratt (St. Joseph’s (ME)), and Sam Murray (St. Joseph’s (ME)) have earned Great Northeast Athletic Conference’s Baseball Weekly Honors.

PLAYER OF THE WEEK

Jonathan Melendez, Johnson & Wales, Sr., Providence, R.I.

Weekly Totals

Games (6), AB (25), Runs (8), Hits (13), RBI’s (14), Average (.520), Slugging % (1.240)

In the Wildcats impressive 18-12 win over Rhode Island College on April 14, Melendez belted 3 homeruns while going 5-for-7 with 3 runs and 7 RBIs.  In a doubleheader split with Lasell, Melendez went 6-for-8 with 5 RBIs.  The Wildcats lost the day game to the Lasers, 7-3, and then won the nightcap, 5-2, on April 18.  Johnson & Wales also split a series with Emerson, losing the 1st game, 9-7, and winning the 2nd game, 5-1, on April 17.  The Wildcats defeated Brandeis, 8-7, on April 15.  Melendez is ranked 1st in the GNAC in hits (57), doubles (13), homeruns (10), and total bases (106), is ranked 2nd in slugging percentage (.779), RBIs (42), and total plate appearances (157), and is tied for 3rd in runs scored (34) and walks (17).  The Wildcats are in 3rd place in the GNAC with a conference record of 8-6 and an overall record of 13-24.  Johnson & Wales next faces UMass-Dartmouth on April 21.

Todd Keneborus, St. Joseph’s (ME), Jr., Hollis Center, M.E.

Weekly Totals

Games (5), AB (17), Runs (4), Hits (8), RBI’s (4), Average (.471), Slugging % (.647)

Keneborus went 5-6 with 3 runs, 3 RBIs, a double and a triple in a conference sweep against Albertus Magnus, 4-0 and 4-0, on April 18.  The Monks split a series against Thomas, earning a 5-3 victory in the day game, and falling 4-2 in the nightcap on April 13.  St. Joseph’s (ME) also defeated Southern Maine, 7-6, on April 15.  Keneborus earned NCAA Division III National Hitter of the Week honors for his unbelievable hitting during games played between April 5-11.  During that span Keneborus set a school record for triples, hit a scorching .682 (15-for-22), with 12 runs scored, 13 RBIs, 3 doubles, 5 triples, and had a .731 on base percentage.  Keneborus is ranked 1st in the GNAC in batting average (.469), slugging percentage (.876), RBIs (53), and triples (11).  He is also ranked 2nd in the conference in on base percentage (.528), runs scored (41), hits (53), doubles (12), and total bases (99).  This is the 2nd time this season that Keneborus has been named as a GNAC Player of the Week.  He was previously honored on March 22.  The Monks are in 2nd place in the GNAC with a conference record of 9-3 and an overall record of 23-10.  St. Joseph’s (ME) next faces Southern Maine on April 21 before finishing their regular season this weekend with doubleheaders against Norwich on April 24 and Colby on April 25.   

ROOKIE OF THE WEEK

Mike Pratt, St. Joseph’s (ME), Fr., Dartmouth, Mass.

Weekly Totals

Games (5), AB (11), Runs (2), Hits (4), RBI’s (6), Average (.364), Slugging % (.545)

In a 4-1 week for the Monks, Pratt hit .364 (4-11) with a homerun and 6 RBIs.  The freshman third baseman helped St. Joseph (ME) sweep Albertus Magnus, 4-0 and 4-0, on April 18, defeat Southern Maine, 7-6, on April 15, and split games against Thomas, winning the day game 5-3 before falling 4-2 in the night game on April 13.  Pratt is tied for 3rd on his team in homeruns (3).  This is the 3rd time this season that Pratt has been named as a GNAC Rookie of the Week.  He was previously honored on March 15 and March 29.  The Monks are in 2nd place in the GNAC with a conference record of 9-3 and an overall record of 23-10.  St. Joseph’s (ME) next faces Southern Maine on April 21 before finishing their regular season with doubleheaders against Norwich on April 24 and Colby on April 25.   

PITCHER OF THE WEEK

Sam Murray, St. Joseph’s (ME), So., Walpole, Mass.

Weekly Totals

GS (1), CG (1), APP (1), Saves (0), W-L (1-0), ERA (0.00), IP (7.00)

Murray tossed a complete-game shutout with 4 strikeouts and 3 hits allowed in a 4-0 victory over Albertus Magnus on April 18.  The sophomore southpaw was dominant, as just 2 base runners reached 2nd base and 62 of his 83 deliveries to the plate were thrown for strikes.  Murray is ranked 1st in the GNAC in runs allowed (9) and walks allowed (1), is tied for 1st in triples allowed (0) and homeruns allowed (1), is ranked 2nd in earned run average (2.21) and earned runs allowed (9), and is ranked 4th in opposing batting average (.262).  This is the 2nd time this season that Murray was been named as a GNAC Pitcher of the Week.  He was previously honored on March 22.  The Monks are in 2nd place in the GNAC with a conference record of 9-3 and an overall record of 23-10.  St. Joseph’s (ME) next faces Southern Maine on April 21 before finishing their regular season with doubleheaders against Norwich on April 24 and Colby on April 25.   

WEEKLY HONOR ROLL SELECTIONS

Nike Vennochi, Emerson, Jr., Melrose, Mass.

Alex MacKay, Johnson & Wales, So., Sanford, M.E.

Zach Boyes, Johnson & Wales, So., West Warwick, R.I.

Josh Sullivan, Lasell, So., Rockland, Mass.

Herb Chappel, Lasell, Jr., Salem, Conn.

Brad Hudson, Norwich, Fr., Eugene, O.R.

David Maxfield, Norwich, So., Randolph, V.T.

Dustin Shimkus, Norwich, Fr., Collinsville, I.L.

Shaun Hanson, Rivier, Sr., Lee, N.J.

Ryan O’Connor, Rivier, Sr., Medford, Mass.
Aramis Velez, Rivier, Fr., Lowell, Mass.