SUNYAC selects weekly honors for baseball, softball and lacrosse
CORTLAND, N.Y. - The State University of New York Athletic Conference (SUNYAC) releases its atheltes of the week for baseball, softball and lacrosse for performances during the week of April 10-16.
Baseball Athlete of the Week - Jack Massa, Cortland
(Jr, C/OF - Shoreham, N.Y., 27)
Massa batted .421 (8-for-19) with two homers, six RBI and four runs scored and recorded an .842 slugging percentage as Cortland went 6-0 in league play, all on the road. He opened the week by going 2-for-5 with a homer and two RBI in a 6-2 win at New Paltz Thursday. He was also 3-for-5 with a homer, double and two RBI in a 7-1 win at Plattsburgh Saturday. He hit safely in five of Cortland's six games, and he also finished the week with two walks, two hit-by-pitches and a sacrifice fly.
Baseball Pitcher of the Week - Tim Cronin, Oswego
(Sr, P - Walden, N.Y., 2)
Cronin was nearly impossible to score on during the week, as the senior hauler went 2-0 with a 0.64 earned-run average against two conference opponents. He improved to 7-0 on the year and lowered his ERA to 1.99, while allowed just one earned run to score in 14 innings pitched. Cronin struck out nine opposing hitters and walked just one.
Softball Athlete of the Week - Niki Barbato, Cortland
(Sr, OF - East Meadow, N.Y., 16)
Barbato homered twice and drove in nine runs in a doubleheader sweep at Plattsburgh Saturday. She hit a grand slam in the top of the seventh in Game 1 to break a 1-1 tie in Cortland's 5-1 victory, then hit a three-run homer in the top of the first in Game 2 to help lead the Red Dragons past the Cardinals, 8-4. Barbato also went 2-for-2 with an RBI in a 5-0 win over nationally ranked St. John Fisher and was 2-for-3 with a double and RBI in a 12-0 win at Potsdam Friday. Over six games during the week, Barbato batting .471 (8-for-17) with two homers, a double, 11 RBI and four runs scored, along with a walk, two sac bunts and a sac fly.
Softball Pitcher of the Week - Rebecca Vilchez, Oswego
(Fr, P/OF - Franklin Square, N.Y., 25)
Vilchez turned in a week of incredible performances on the mound as she earned four wins, while tossing 25 innings and allowing just one earned run for a 0.36 ERA. She led the team to a 5-1 week in conference play and lowered her season ERA to 1.44. In the first game against Fredonia on Wednesday, she pitched 6.1 innings of no-hit softball, before an opposing batter was able to register a base-knock.
Men's Lacrosse Athlete of the Week - Ryan Hubbard, Plattsburgh
(Jr, A - Aquebogue, N.Y., 5)
Plattsburgh State junior attackman Ryan Hubbard scored seven goals and added two assists for nine points in a 2-0 week for the Cardinals. In a 7-6 win over SUNY Oneonta on Wednesday, Hubbard scored three goals, the last of which came with 1.4 seconds left in regulation that gave the Cardinals the win. He also scooped up five ground balls in the contest. On Saturday, he became the sixth Plattsburgh State men's lacrosse student-athlete to score 100 goals, as he pushed his career total to 103 with four goals and two assists in a 15-11 victory over The College at Brockport. Hubbard currently leads the SUNYAC in goals (34) and is tied for third in the conference in points (44).
Men's Lacrosse Goalie of the Week - Austin Graham, Plattsburgh
(Jr, G - Yorktown Heights, N.Y., 1)
Plattsburgh State junior goalie Austin Graham made 23 saves, fashioned a .575 save percentage and posted an 8.50 goals-against average in a 2-0 week for the Cardinals. Graham made six stops in a 7-6 victory over SUNY Oneonta on Wednesday before saving a career-high 17 shots in a 15-11 win over The College at Brockport on Saturday. Graham currently ranks second in the SUNYAC in goals-against average (8.32) and third in the conference in save percentage (.586).
Women's Lacrosse Defensive Athlete of the Week - Jaclyn Beshlian, Cortland
(Sr, G - Wantagh, NY, 25)
Beshlian helped lead 15th-ranked Cortland (9-3, 4-0 SUNYAC) to a pair of SUNYAC victories last week, posting a 5.58 GAA with 16 saves and a .615 save percentage. In a 16-2 win at Potsdam on Tuesday, she stopped six shots and did not allow a goal in 47:37 of action. Beshlian then turned aside 10 shots as the Red Dragons defeated Geneseo, 13-10, at home on Saturday. For the season, she has a 9-3 record with a 7.99 GAA, 92 saves and a .500 save percentage.
Women's Lacrosse Offensive Athlete of the Week - Teresa Shattuck, Oswego
(So, A - Syracuse, N.Y., 16)
Shattuck continued to excel at record pace, collecting 15 points over the Lakers two wins this past week. During the team's 8-6 win over New Paltz, she scored twice and dished a pair of assists. She followed that up with one of her best career performances, as she notched 11 points in a 12-10 win over Fredonia. The sophomore attacker scored five goals and dished out six assists, to have a part in nearly every goal. Thus far on the season, she has 65 points.
