Baltz and classmate Kyle Hansen were both named Louisville Slugger Freshman All-Americans as well.
May 30, 2010
Box Score
CLEARWATER, Fla. - Kyle Hansen tossed 6.1 scoreless innings and earned the Jack Kaiser Award as the Most Outstanding Player as St. John's shutout No. 18 UConn, 3-0, to defeat its third-straight ranked opponent and win its conference-record sixth BIG EAST Tournament crown. Hansen (8-1) had five strikeouts and allowed just two hits to earn the win. Joe Panik was 2-for-5 with two RBI, while Greg Hopkins was 3-for-4 to lead St. John's (40-18). Matt Wessinger, Jimmy Parque and Joe Witkowski added two hits apiece. George Springer was 2-for-3 with a double to lead UConn (47-14).
St. John's took a 1-0 lead in the third inning. After Witkowski singled into left field with one out, Wessinger followed with a two-out single into center field to set up runners on first and second. Panik then grounded an RBI double inside the first bag to give St. John's a 1-0 lead.
Hansen, meanwhile, worked a 1-2-3 inning in the first and another 1-2-3 inning in the fourth.
The Red Storm proceeded to add two runs in the fifth inning to take a 3-0 lead. Wessinger reached on an infield single with one out and stole second base. Panik followed with his second RBI double of the game, this time chasing Elliot Glynn with a shot off the wall in right center. Jeremy Baltz then greeted reliever Matt Barnes with an RBI single into right field.
Hansen surrendered a lead off double in the sixth, just his second hit allowed in the game, but rebounded to induce a fly out before back-to-back strikeouts to end the inning.
St. John's was kept off the board in the seventh after an out at the plate. Jimmy Brennan led off with a single and advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt. Following a Panik fly out, Baltz was intentionally walked. Hopkins then singled into left field, but Brennan was thrown out at home to end the inning.
Following a one-out walk in the seventh, Hansen was lifted from the game.
Bruce Kern entered and promptly induced an inning-ending 4-6-3 double play.
Kern quickly retired the first two batters in the eighth before allowing an infield single to Springer and plunking Mike Nemeth. Ryan Cole entered the game and caught a pop up in foul territory to end the inning.
UConn threatened in the ninth, but was kept off the board. After LJ Mazzilli reached on an error to open the ninth, Daniel Burawa induced a foul pop up for the first out. Billy Ferriter then singled before Matt Burnett was plunked to load the bases. Burawa, however, induced a 4-6-3 double play to end the game and earn his 11th save of the year and third of the tournament.
St. John's, which earned the BIG EAST automatic bid with win, will find out its seed and regional location tomorrow at 12:30 p.m. on the selection show that will be aired on ESPN.
All-Tournament Team
Jack Kaiser Award (Most Outstanding Player)
Kyle Hansen, P, St. John's
PITCHERS
P-Kyle Hansen, St. John's
P-Dan Feehan, Connecticut
CATCHER
C-Cory Brownsten, Pittsburgh
INFIELDERS
IF-Mike Nemeth, Connecticut
IF-Joe Panik, St. John's
IF-Steve Nyisztor, Rutgers
IF-Ryan Wright, Louisville
OUTFIELDERS
OF-George Springer, Connecticut
OF-Stewart Ijames, Louisville
OF-Billy Ferriter, Connecticut
DESIGNATED HITTER
DH-Kevan Smith, Pittsburgh
