FROM CBB NEWS SOURCE
PROVIDENCE, R.I. – Connecticut righthanded pitcher Matt Barnes and West Virginia third baseman Grant Buckner are the winners of the BIG EAST’s weekly baseball honors for the week-ending May 9.
Barnes threw the first complete-game shutout of his career in a 14-0 win against Cincinnati on May 8, improving to 7-0 on the season. He allowed two hits and struck out eight batters, while walking one against 29 batters faced. Against BIG EAST opponents this season, the righthander owns a 2.17 ERA, ranking second in the conference. Overall, Barnes holds an ERA of 2.49 with a team-high 64 strikeouts. This is his first BIG EAST Pitcher of the Week honor.
Buckner led the Mountaineers to their first BIG EAST series sweep of the season against Notre Dame. In Game 1 of the doubleheader on May 8, the junior set a WVU single-game record with 10 RBI. Of his four hits in that game, three were home runs. On the week, Buckner hit .667 (8-12) with 14 RBI, four home runs and a slugging percentage of 1.750. This is his first BIG EAST Player of the Week recognition.
Honor Roll
Dain Hall, Villanova, DH, Jr.
.500 AVG (6-for-12), 1 R, 1 2B, 4 RBI, 2 SB, Team: 2-1
Jimmy Parque, St. John’s, RF, Sr.
.588 AVG (10-for-17), 3 R, 1 2B, 5 RBI, Team: 3-1
Thomas Royse, Louisville, RHP, Jr.
1-0, 8.0 IP, 0.00 ERA, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 11 SO, Team: 4-1
Andrew Strenge, Cincinnati, RHP, Fr.
1-0, 9.0 IP, 0.00 ERA, 2 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 6 SO, Team: 2-3
Kevin Vance, Connecticut, DH, So.
.700 AVG (7-for-10), 4 R, 2 2B, 1 RBI, Team: 2-1
