Freshman Highlight #BIGEASTbase Weekly Awards
NEW YORK – Young talent highlights the BIG EAST baseball Player and Pitcher of the Week selections as both were freshmen; Xavier second baseman Connor Grammes and St. John’s starter Sean Mooney. Additionally, this week’s honor roll is made up of five pitchers.
BIG EAST Player of the Week
Connor Grammes, Xavier, Fr., 2B/RP (McLean, Va.)
Xavier freshman Connor Grammes hit .571 going 8-for-14 in a 3-1 week for the Musketeers. Grammes had three multi-hit games getting on base in every XU game over the week against Louisville, and a three-game series sweep against Ohio State. Grammes went 2-for-3 with a run, RBI and a walk in the loss at No. 1 Louisville. During the weekend series against Ohio State, the freshman went 6-for-11 with three runs, an RBI, a double, a home run and two walks. In the series closer against the Buckeyes, Grammes produced on both sides as he pitched 1.2 innings of relief and homered in a 6-5 come-from-behind Musketeer win. He had two strikeouts on the mound.
BIG EAST Pitcher of the Week
Sean Mooney, St. John’s, Fr., RHP/Starter (Marmora, N.J.)
St. John’s righty rookie starter Sean Mooney picked up his first career win in just his second career start against Iona in Newark, Va., over the weekend. The freshman tossed eight innings for the No. 9 Red Storm while allowing just three hits and one run. Mooney struck out six and was carrying a perfect game into the fourth inning and did not allow a runner to reach base over his final three frames.
BIG EAST Weekly Honor Roll
Jeff Schank, Butler, Sr., LHP/Starter (Naperville, Ill.)
The Bulldog ace pitched six innings in a 6-3 series opening win over St. Louis. The lefty struck out seven with just five hits and boasted a 1.50 ERA as he allowed just one run.
Jeff Albrecht, Creighton, Sr., LHP/Starter (Omaha, Neb.)
Albrecht earned the W over Utah Valley, ending Creighton’s eight-game losing streak, by limiting the Wolverines to one run in 6.2 innings pitched. The lefty kept Utah Valley off the board until the seventh, allowing CU to build a 3-0 lead with six K’s with four hits.
Kevin Superko, Georgetown, Jr., RHP/Starter (Wellesley, Mass.)
Superko won his third-consecutive start with 7.0 innings at Gardner Webb. He scattered seven hits and two runs while striking out two with no walks.
Shane McCarthy, Seton Hall, Jr., RHP/Starter (Fair Haven, N.J.)
Earned the win over Lehigh with 5.0 shutout innings pitched with just two hits. He also struck out three batters in SHU’s 3-0 victory in the finale of the Strikeout Cancer finale.
Zac Lowther, Xavier, Jr., (Brooklyn Heights, Ohio)
Tossed 6.0 innings of one-hit , one-run ball in a win over Ohio State. He struck out a career-best 11 batters as Ohio State batters hit just 0.063 against him without an extra base hit.