College Baseball
Bronc Award Winners
LAWRENCEVILLE, NJ—The Rider University baseball team held its annual Awards Brunch Sunday.
Senior Justin Thomas (Richboro, PA/Council Rock South) was named the Most Valuable Player, senior Zach Mawson (Magnolia, DE/Caesar Rodney) was named the Most Valuable Pitcher and senior Eric Thomas (Dallastown, PA/Dallastown Area) was named the Most Improved Player.
Justin Thomas, the Preseason All-MAAC first baseman, leads Rider in batting (.310), hits (58), RBI (38), doubles (12), home runs (4) and slugging percentage (.439). He was also seventh in the MAAC in hits per game. His RBI total is fifth best in the MAAC.
In the all-important MAAC games Thomas batted .338 with 27 hits and 22 RBI in 21 MAAC games.
Mawson leads Rider in victories (6) and innings pitched (71.1) and compiled a 2.90 earned run average. His e.r.a. is fifth best in the MAAC. Mawson was a perfect 6-0 against MAAC teams, best in the conference.
Eric Thomas leads Rider in earned run average (1.07) and leads the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference in saves (10). In 25.1 innings he compiled 34 strikeouts and just 16 walks. Opponents batted just .186 against him during the regular season.
Rider (28-20, 15-6 MAAC) won the MAAC regular season title for the second time in three years and is the top seed in the upcoming Championship Tournament. The Broncs finished the regular season 14-2 at home, 10-2 at home against MAAC teams.
The MAAC Tournament begins Wednesday, May 20 at Dutchess Stadium in Fishkill, NY. #3 Quinnipiac plays #6 Marist at 12 noon in Game 1, and #4 Siena plays #5 Monmouth at 3:30pm in Game 2. Rider plays at 7pm against the lowest seeded winner of Games 1 and 2, and the Broncs will be off on Thursday.
#2 Canisius is off on Wednesday and plays Thursday against the highest seeded winner of Games 1 and 2.
Rider won the MAAC Championship Tournament in 2008 and 2010.
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