NORTH ADAMS, Mass. – Representatives from two of the league’s three remaining unbeaten teams highlight the opening weekly award compilation for the 2019 New England Collegiate Baseball League (NECBL) season, as Mystic outfielder Shane Kelly (Bryant) and North Adams right-hander Tyler Hays (Bowling Green) were named the league’s Player and Pitcher of the Week.
Kelly paced the Schooners’ offense with a league-high 10 hits in 22 at-bats (.455). He drove in five while scoring four himself, while three of those 10 hits went for extra-bases on the strength of two doubles and a homer. His OPS after one week of play stands at a stellar 1.160; he stole two bases and drew a walk while striking out just three times. His efforts have Mystic atop the Southern Division at a perfect 5-0.
The Sewell, New Jersey, native capped off his sophomore season at Bryant with 30 hits – including six homers – and scored 28 runs while driving in 19 more while batting .244 for the Bulldogs, who captured the Northeast Conference (NEC) regular season title.
Hays had as dominant of an outing as any in the league last week, making his first start with the North Division-leading SteepleCats a memorable one. The Copley, Ohio, native fanned 10 of the 17 batters he faced while tossing over five innings of hitless baseball to stake the ‘Cats to a 13-0 victory over Sanford on Opening Night. The only thing that cooled off Hays that night was Mother Nature, as North Adams would win a rain-shortened affair that was called after 5-1/2 innings.
The rising sophomore out of Bowling Green started 14 games for the Falcons in his rookie collegiate season, fanning 72 over 67 innings.
Week 1 Honor Roll – Position Players
Alex Baratta (Danbury, IF, Binghamton), Thomas Blandini (New Bedford, IF, SNHU), Gregory Hardison (Upper Valley, OF/IF, UNC Greensboro), Paul Komistek (North Adams, OF/IF, Tennessee), Brian Picone (North Adams, IF, Iona)
Week 1 Honor Roll – Pitchers
Jacob Abbott (North Adams, RHP, Eastern Kentucky), Art Joven (Newport, LHP, Missouri) Will Lozinak (Valley, RHP, Morehead State), Nicholas Robino (Mystic, RHP, Wagner), Darren Williams (Sanford, RHP, Eastern Kentucky)
