BSB: Gaels Sweep March Player Of The Month Honors
4/8/2011 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
SAN BRUNO, Calif. - For the first time in head coach Jedd Soto's tenure the Gaels took both the WCC Pitcher and Player of the Month awards. Junior starting pitcher Mark Anderson and sophomore third baseman Patrick Wisdom put up phenomenal numbers for the month of March. It is the first time for both Anderson and Wisdom that they have been named player of the month.
Anderson had a historic month. In five starts Anderson went 4-1 with a minuscule 1.64 ERA. In three of his starts he threw shutouts including two complete game shutouts. In 38.1 innings pitched, he has scattered 24 hits, nine runs, seven earned, with nine walks, while striking out 29.
"It is a testament to his work ethic," said head coach Jedd Soto about Anderson being named player of the month. "In my time here we haven't had many kids that work as hard at their craft like Mark does. He is one of the hardest workers we have ever had. Not only on the field, but in all other aspects of his life and it shows. He is extremely deserving of this award."
Anderson began the month earning WCC Pitcher of the Week after throwing a complete game shutout against No. 25 UC Irvine. In just 106 pitches he held the Anteaters to four hits, with one walk, while striking out six. Anderson never let a player advance past second base, which was a big reason the Gaels up set UC Irvine 1-0.
In his fourth start, he needed just 107 pitches to throw his second consecutive shutout, and second complete game shutout of the month against New Orleans. Anderson was too much for the Privateers, limiting UNO to just two hits and two walks, while striking out a career-high seven batters. UNO never had a runner get past first base.
His three shutouts in March, is now second all-time for shutouts in a season, one behind record holder Tom Candiotti. For the year Anderson is 5-1 with a 1.68 Era. Out of 500 players who qualify, Anderson's five wins ranks 20th in the country while his ERA ranks 49th.
Wisdom was a big reason for the Gaels strong finish in March, SMC won seven of their final eight games to finish the month 8-8. Wisdom 26-for-60 (.433) with 11 runs scored and six doubles, two home runs and 17 driven in.
"Patrick had a very good fall," said Soto. "So we expected a big year out of him, and early on it looked like he was pressing a little bit to live up to the expectations of hitting fourth in the lineup. But last month he has really turned it on. His approach has been excellent, not swinging at bad pitches, meanwhile, anything in the zone, be it a breaking ball or a fastball, he is hitting hard."
In March, Wisdom had eight multi-hit games, including two four hit games. Against No. 11 Stanford, Wisdom went 4-for-5 with two runs scored and two RBI. With runners in scoring position Wisdom went 12-for-22 (.545). In the 16 games played, he has had six multiple-RBI games. Over the final six games of the month, Wisdom went 12-for-21(.571) with 10 runs scored, three doubles, one home run, 11 RBI and went a perfect 3-for-3 in SB/SBA.
For the year, Wisdom is hitting .356 (32-for-90) with 13 runs scored, seven doubles, three home runs, and 19 runs driven in. His .356 average is tied for third in the WCC, while his slugging percentage of .533 is fifth.
Anderson, Wisdom and the rest of the Gaels return to action on Friday, at 3:00 PM at USF's Benedetti Diamond for game one of a three game series. Anderson will be on the hill for SMC, who looks to extend their three-game winning streak.
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