McKay Named to John Olerud Award Watch List
April 20, 2016 | Baseball
Sophomore is 7-1 with a 2.15 ERA on the mound and is hitting .316 with three runs at the plate
LOUISVILLE, Ky. - Sophomore lefthanded pitcher and first baseman Brendan McKay, the reigning John Olerud Two-Way Player of the Year, was named Wednesday by the National College Baseball Hall of Fame to the first watch list for this season's Olerud Award, which honors the nation's top player both on the mound and at the plate.
A native of Darlington, Pennsylvania, McKay has accumulated a 7-1 record with a 2.15 ERA and 73 strikeouts in nine starts and 58.2 innings pitched this season. At the plate, the lefty swinging McKay has a .316 batting average, three home runs, 11 doubles, two triples and 24 RBI while starting 36 games as a hitter. McKay has assumed the role as the No. 1 starter in the weekend pitching rotation while hitting either third or fourth in the batting order throughout the season for the third-ranked Cardinals.
Last season, McKay became the first freshman to win the prestigious award finishing with a 9-3 record, 1.77 ERA and 117 strikeouts in 96.2 innings and 20 appearances on the mound, including 13 straight weekend starts for the Cardinals. Occupying the fourth spot in Louisville's lineup for the final 32 games of the season, McKay hit .308 with four home runs, 34 RBI, 38 walks and 32 runs scored in 58 starts as a hitter.
A total of 24 players representing conferences and schools large and small are on the watch list. The award is named for the former Washington State University standout who achieved success both as a first baseman and left-handed pitcher during the late 1980s and who was inducted into the National College Baseball Hall of Fame in 2007. The award will be presented as part of the Hall of Fame's Night of Champions celebration July 1-2 in Lubbock.
Up next, No. 3 Louisville returns to ACC action with a weekend visit to Boston College starting Friday at 2:30 p.m., ET. The Cardinals and Eagles are also scheduled for Saturday at 1:30 p.m., and Sunday at noon.
Fans can follow Louisville baseball on Twitter (@UofLBaseball) at http://twitter.com/uoflbaseball and on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/ulbaseball.
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A native of Darlington, Pennsylvania, McKay has accumulated a 7-1 record with a 2.15 ERA and 73 strikeouts in nine starts and 58.2 innings pitched this season. At the plate, the lefty swinging McKay has a .316 batting average, three home runs, 11 doubles, two triples and 24 RBI while starting 36 games as a hitter. McKay has assumed the role as the No. 1 starter in the weekend pitching rotation while hitting either third or fourth in the batting order throughout the season for the third-ranked Cardinals.
Last season, McKay became the first freshman to win the prestigious award finishing with a 9-3 record, 1.77 ERA and 117 strikeouts in 96.2 innings and 20 appearances on the mound, including 13 straight weekend starts for the Cardinals. Occupying the fourth spot in Louisville's lineup for the final 32 games of the season, McKay hit .308 with four home runs, 34 RBI, 38 walks and 32 runs scored in 58 starts as a hitter.
A total of 24 players representing conferences and schools large and small are on the watch list. The award is named for the former Washington State University standout who achieved success both as a first baseman and left-handed pitcher during the late 1980s and who was inducted into the National College Baseball Hall of Fame in 2007. The award will be presented as part of the Hall of Fame's Night of Champions celebration July 1-2 in Lubbock.
Up next, No. 3 Louisville returns to ACC action with a weekend visit to Boston College starting Friday at 2:30 p.m., ET. The Cardinals and Eagles are also scheduled for Saturday at 1:30 p.m., and Sunday at noon.
Fans can follow Louisville baseball on Twitter (@UofLBaseball) at http://twitter.com/uoflbaseball and on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/ulbaseball.
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Players Mentioned
LHP/1B
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