Quinnipiac's Batten, Jankins and Manhattan's Pena Earn Weekly Baseball Awards
MAAC Sports
Player of the Week
Matthew Batten, Quinnipiac
Jr., SS, 6-0, Shelton, CT/St. Joseph’s HS
Matthew Batten had a remarkable week for the Bobcats as he led the team with a .455 batting average, 10 hits, six runs scored, one home run, a .500 OBP, .636 slugging percentage and was second on the team with three stolen bases. In the Bobcats sweep of the Iona Gaels, Batten tied for the team-high with five hits. Batten played remarkable defense, making a diving play up the middle to keep the game tied before the Bobcats walk-off win in the final game of the series. Batten continues to lead the Bobcats this season with a .328 batting average and 45 hits while his eight doubles, 26 runs scored and 10 stolen bases are second on the team.
Pitcher of the Week
Thomas Jankins, Quinnipiac
Jr., RHP, 6-3, West Brookfield, MA/Quaboag Regional
Thomas Jankins made his best start of the season in game one of the series with the Iona Gaels as he took a no-hitter into the eighth inning, and a perfect game into the seventh, in his two-hit shutout of the Gaels. Jankins finished the game with eight strikeouts and faced just three batters over the minimum. In two career starts against the Gaels, Jankins has allowed just five hits with 17 strikeouts in 17 innings pitched. The win was his third of the season, tied for the most on the team. His 51 strikeouts this season are the most on the team and just two shy of tying his career-high of 53 from last season. Jankins lowered his ERA to 3.22 in the win.
Rookie of the Week
Fabian Pena, Manhattan
Fr., C, 5-9, Miami, FL/Calusa Prep
Pena, who was also named ECAC Rookie of the Week, batted .500 (9-for-18), including .545 over three games against Marist, with four runs, two doubles, two home runs, eight RBI and three walks while posting a .944 slugging percentage and a .522 OBP . Began his big week with a single in win at Army West Point while also throwing a runner out on the bases. Followed that up by going 2-for-3 with a double, run and two walks at Hofstra . In game one at Marist also went 2-for-3 with two RBI, a solo home run and a walk. In the nightcap, crushed his team-leading fifth home run. Capped his big weekend with 3-for-5 performance, which included a two-run double and a two-run single. Finished up with a career-high four RBI and a run scored while helping the Jaspers salvage the third and final game. Is hitting .339 with 12 doubles (2nd MAAC), five home runs (2nd MAAC), 30 RBI (4th MAAC) and a .568 slugging percentage (2nd MAAC). Also has a team-leading 10 multi-RBI games while ranking second with 12 multi-hit games.