California's Troy Handza (left) and Mansfield's Bernard Johnson (right).
PSAC Baseball Athletes of the Week - 9
Lock Haven, Pa. - East Stroudsburg’s Brian Ernst and Mansfield’s Bernard Johnson helped their respective teams to PSAC Tournament berths as their teams split a weekend series with each other and they are this week’s PSAC East Player and Pitcher of the Week, respectively. California’s Troy Handza earns his third PSAC West Player of the Week award of the season while Mercyhurst’s Ben Rawding is the PSAC West Pitcher of the Week for the second straight week.
PSAC East Player of the Week
Brian Ernst, East Stroudsburg
Freshman, 1B
Allentown, Pa./Salisbury
Ernst, who earlier this year was honored as the PSAC East Pitcher of the Week, earns the final Player of the Week award of the season in the East after his offensive exploits helped the Warriors clinch the final spot in the PSAC Tournament out of the PSAC East. For the week, Ernst hit .333 (6-for-18) with two home runs, seven RBI and eight runs scored. He also added four doubles as all of his hits went for extra bases, and had an .889 slugging percentage along with an on-base percentage of .500. He opened the week by going a combined 4-for-8 with a pair of doubles and home runs in a twinbill sweep of Chestnut Hill. In the series-opening win over Mansfield, he went 1-for-4 with a double and a run while also throwing a complete game on the mound, striking out seven. He reached base twice and drove in a run in a loss in the second game. On Saturday, he doubled and drove in two in a 6-5 loss in the first game and then scored a run and also picked up the save on the mound in a 5-4 win in the regular season finale that cemented ESU’s spot in the tournament.
PSAC East Pitcher of the Week
Bernard Johnson, Mansfield
Senior, RHP
Corning, N.Y./Corning East
In three appearances last week for Mansfield, Johnson allowed just one hit and no runs in six innings, picking up a win and a save while helping the Mountaineers clinch a berth in the PSAC Tournament. He struck out two and opposing hitters hit just .059 off of him. He threw three scoreless inning of relief to pick up his team-best sixth win of the year against Lock Haven, allowing just one hit. He then tossed two perfect innings of relief, striking out two, in a 11-3 win over East Stroudsburg on Friday. Then, on the final day of the regular season, after Mansfield had rallied to score six runs in the top of the seventh inning to take a 6-5 lead, Johnson entered and retired the side in order in the bottom of the inning to pick up the save and preserve the win, which clinched third place for Mansfield.
PSAC West Player of the Week
Troy Handza, California
Sophomore, OF
Glenshaw, Pa./Shaler
In six games last week for the Vulcans in which they went 4-2, Handza hit .500 (10-for-20) with two home runs and 15 RBI. He scored 11 runs and also added four doubles and a 1.000 slugging percentage along with a .520 on-base percentage. He was also 5-for-6 in stolden bases. Handza opened the week by going a combined 5-for-8 with seven RBI and six runs in a doubleheader sweep of Charleston, which included a 4-for-4 perofmrnace with a double, three RBI, four runs and four stolen bases in the nightcap. On the final day of the regular season on Saturday, he went a combined 4-for-6 with two homers, six RBI and five runs as the Vulcans split with Lock Haven to wrap up second place in the PSAC West.
PSAC West Pitcher of the Week
Ben Rawding, Mercyhurst
Freshman, LHP
Beaver Falls, Pa./Blackhawk
Rawding earns the PSAC West Pitcher of the Week award for the second straight week after recording his second consecutive complete game victory to help Mercyhurst to a 2-1 win over Clarion on Saturday. He allowed five hits and the one earned run, did not walk any, and struck out nine to help the Lakers sweep the Golden Eagles and wrap up third place in the PSAC West.