Senior third baseman Rich Graham (Shoreham, N.Y./Shoreham) of Stony Brook is the America East Player of the Week. Senior Jamie Merchant (Colchester, Vt./Rice Memorial) of Vermont is the America East Pitcher of the Week. Rookie outfielder/designated hitter Kyle Brault (Milton, Vt./Milton) of Vermont is the America East Rookie of the Week. America East announced the awards on May 19.
Graham helped lead the Seawolves to a 4-0 sweep of conference opponent Hartford that sealed a spot in the America East Championship for Stony Brook as the third seed. Graham posted a .500 batting average thanks to his 4-of-8 weekend at the dish that included three runs scored and five RBI. Graham played the hero for the Seawolves in the second game on Friday (May 16) by knocking in the game-winning run in extra innings to give the Seawolves a 4-3 win. Graham blasted his fifth homer of the year Saturday (May 17) which helped him to a 1.000 slugging percentage.
Merchant picked up a save in Tuesday’s (May 13) 6-3 win at Northeastern and then out-pitched Mike Collar in 5-3 win at Maine on Friday (May 16). At Maine, he went the distance for the sixth time this season allowing four hits, no walks, just one earned run with 10 K’s.
Brault hit .500 with a .550 OBP and .833 slugging percentage in six games. Four of his nine hits went for extra bases. Hh hit a two-run triple to break-open 5-3 win at Northeastern (May 13) and then he drove in two runs, both with two-out hits, in Saturday’s (May 17) 2-1 win over Maine that clinched Vermont’s first-ever America East regular season title.