Miller Jr. & Dennis Earn GNAC Weekly Baseball Honors
WINTHROP, Mass. – Two members of the Mitchell College baseball team have earned weekly honors by the Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC), as junior Kenneth Miller Jr. (New London, Conn.) was named Player of the Week and freshman Ryan Dennis (Enfield, Conn.) was tabbed as Rookie of the Week, as announced by the conference on Monday afternoon.
It marks the first time in either player's Mitchell career that they have garnered each recognition, as Miller Jr. becomes the second player on the Mariners to be named Player of the Week this season, and Dennis is now the lone player on the team to be named Rookie of the Week this spring.
Miller Jr. had another big week, slashing .500/.500/.938 with two home runs, nine RBI, and four runs scored, leading the Mariners to a 4-0 record. The left fielder had two multi-hit games, highlighted by a 4-5 performance with two homers, seven RBI, and two runs scored in a GNAC victory over Norwich University on Sunday. Facing the Cadets, he belted a grand slam in the top of the fifth to break open what was a one-run game at the time. His second homer, a three run shot to right field, came two innings later and extended Mitchell's lead to 8-0.
Entering the new week, Miller Jr. ranks second on his team with a .357 batting average (minimum 15 games played), is tied for the conference lead with seven home runs, and ranks third in the GNAC with 33 RBI.
Meanwhile, Ryan Dennis continued his strong freshman campaign, slashing .588/.611/.882 during Mitchell's four wins. The centerfielder added an inside the park home run, drove in eight, and scored six runs, adding a triple and three stolen bases. After being held hitless to open the week against Roger Williams University, he had three or more hits in three conference games to close out the week. Dennis was especially potent in a doubleheader sweep of the University of Saint Joseph on Friday, going 6-8 with a homer, a triple, seven RBI, and four runs scored, before picking up four more hits in a GNAC win over Norwich on Sunday.
Entering the new week, Dennis leads the Mariners with a .357 batting average (minimum 15 games played), is tied for first in the GNAC with 32 runs scored, and ranks fourth in the conference with 40 hits.
Winners of eight consecutive games, the Mariners (19-13, 10-1 GNAC) return to the diamond for a critical conference doubleheader against Johnson & Wales University at home on Friday, April 18, with first pitch in the opener scheduled for 1:00 pm.
