Photo by: Justin Lafleur
Gallo named Collegiate Baseball National Player of the Week
4/22/2019 1:01:00 PM | Baseball
BETHLEHEM, Pa. — Lehigh baseball junior first baseman Tony Gallo was named Collegiate Baseball Newspaper's National Player of the Week by the publication announced on Monday afternoon.
Gallo had himself a monster week for the Mountain Hawks against Lafayette and Bucknell, but was headlined by two walk-off hits, a two-run home run and a two-run single, to lead Lehigh to a doubleheader sweep of the Bison on Saturday afternoon at J. David Walker Field.
The Newtown Square, Pa. native finished the week hitting .688 (11-for-16) with two home runs, a double and eight RBIs with a 1.125 slugging percentage and had three walks with an on-base percentage of .750.
"Tony had one of those special days and I've been doing this quite a long time and it was a day to remember for him," said head coach Sean Leary. "Every situation we needed him, he came through. With the clutch hits and two walk-offs is just something that is as special as it gets.
"I think this particular award is special because a lot of our guys work really hard to get where they are. Tony just comes in and is someone who had the ability to play at this level. He puts in a ton of reps in the cage, a ton of time in the gym and just getting to be as athletic and as strong as he can be and I've seen the transformation in him in the last three years. I'm most proud of Tony that he stayed mentally tough this week."
To lead off his week, Gallo went 2-for-4 with a walk and an RBI in Lehigh's 12-1 must-win victory over archrival Lafayette on Wednesday. He was 3-for-4 with a walk, a run scored, three RBIs and a walk-off two-run home run to defeat Bucknell, 6-4 in nine innings on Saturday to start the series off with a win.
In Game 2, the Devon Prep product started the game with a home run in the bottom of the second inning to go back-to-back from the first game. He had his first career five-hit game by going 5-for-5 with a home run, a double, four RBIs and a walk-off two-run single in the bottom of the ninth to give Lehigh the 7-6 victory and sweep the doubleheader with Bucknell. He finished the game just a triple shy from Lehigh's first cycle since 2006.
Gallo led off the final game of the series on Sunday with a base hit to go 9-for-9 in his last at-bats and then walked in his next plate appearance to reach base in 10 straight appearances.
In addition to his hot bat, Gallo also found major success in the field at first base, with two diving catches to prevent base runners and another big catch in foul territory during the second game of the doubleheader Saturday. Finished his week with 38 putouts and five assists for a perfect 1.000 fielding percentage at first base.
Gallo comes out of the weekend as Lehigh's new top hitter with a .338 overall batting average and surges ahead to lead the entire Patriot League with a .431 clip in league play.
The award is Gallo's first national recognition of his collegiate career and the first national recognition the Mountain Hawks have received in 2019.
Like Lehigh Baseball on Facebook, follow on Twitter and Instagram for continued updates on the Mountain Hawks.
Collegiate Baseball's National Players Of The Week
RF J.J. Bleday, Vanderbilt: Bleday hit 5 home runs over 4 games as he went 7-for-18 at the plate with 7 RBI. He also scored 6 runs and had 23 total bases.
RHP Chase Walter, Western Carolina: Walter struck out a career-high 17 batters during a 5-1 complete game win over Furman. He gave up one earned run.
OF Dan Bolt, Bradley: Bolt belted 4 home runs with 7 RBI over 4 games as he went 8-for-16 at the plate. In the process, he extended his hitting streak to 14 games. Over those 14 games, he has raised his batting average 71 points.
RHP Alek Manoah, West Virginia: Manoah struck out 15 batters during a complete-game 1-0 shutout over Kansas. His performance comes a week after he fanned 15 Texas Tech. batters. In his last two starts, he has mowed down 30 batters.
RF James Ciliento, Bryant: Ciliento went 10-for-24 at the plate over five games as he belted 4 home runs and collected 12 RBI.
RHP Noah Song, Navy: Song fired a 1-hitter during a 3-0, 7-inning win over Army. Following a leadoff bunt single, Song retired 14 straight batters before allowing a 2-out walk in the fifth inning. He struck out 8 batters to move his season total to 118.
LF Justin Kirby, Kent St.: Kirby hit 3 home runs with a double over 4 games as he scored 7 runs and collected 5 RBI while stealing 2 bases.
LHP Evan Kravetz, Rice: Kravetz struck out a career-high 13 batters over 7 innings on the way to a win over Middle Tennessee. He only allowed 1 hit. The 13 strikeouts were the highest total by a Conference USA pitcher this season.
OF Mike Antico, St. John's: Antico went 7-for-14 with 3 home runs and collected 8 RBI over 4 games. He also stole 3 bases.
LHP Jake Agnos, East Carolina: Agnos struck out a career-high 14 batters over 8 2/3 innings during a 5-1 win over Connecticut. He struck out at least one batter in all nine innings. From the third until the ninth inning, he retired 18 of 19 batters, including 13 straight, before issuing a 2-out walk.
1B Ben Whetstone, Missouri St.: Whetstone clubbed 3 home runs and drove in 10 runs while scoring 6 runs.
RHP Cole Henry, Louisiana St.: Henry struck out a career-high12 Florida batters over 5 1/3 innings. His strikeout total was the most by an LSU pitcher in an SEC game since the 2015 season.
2B Travis Holt, High Point: Holt went 7-for-10 at the plate with 3 home runs, 2 doubles, 5 RBI and 3 runs scored.
RHP Michael Clark, Cal Poly: Clark earned two wins and did not allow a run over 10 1/3 innings of work with 8 strikeouts. He pitched the final four innings of Cal Poly's 4-2 win over Long Beach St., allowing no hits, no walks and struck out two. Two days later, he came back to pitch 6 1/3 innings during a 5-4 victory. He scattered 5 hits with 6 strikeouts.
DH/1B Matt Joslin, Austin Peay St.: Joslin went 6-for-9 with 13 RBI over 4 games with 2 home runs which included a grand slam.
1B Tony Gallo, Lehigh: Gallo went 11-for-16 at the plate with 2 home runs, a double, 2 walks and 8 RBI over 4 games. He had an on-base percentage of .750 and slugging percentage of 1.125.
Gallo had himself a monster week for the Mountain Hawks against Lafayette and Bucknell, but was headlined by two walk-off hits, a two-run home run and a two-run single, to lead Lehigh to a doubleheader sweep of the Bison on Saturday afternoon at J. David Walker Field.
The Newtown Square, Pa. native finished the week hitting .688 (11-for-16) with two home runs, a double and eight RBIs with a 1.125 slugging percentage and had three walks with an on-base percentage of .750.
"Tony had one of those special days and I've been doing this quite a long time and it was a day to remember for him," said head coach Sean Leary. "Every situation we needed him, he came through. With the clutch hits and two walk-offs is just something that is as special as it gets.
"I think this particular award is special because a lot of our guys work really hard to get where they are. Tony just comes in and is someone who had the ability to play at this level. He puts in a ton of reps in the cage, a ton of time in the gym and just getting to be as athletic and as strong as he can be and I've seen the transformation in him in the last three years. I'm most proud of Tony that he stayed mentally tough this week."
To lead off his week, Gallo went 2-for-4 with a walk and an RBI in Lehigh's 12-1 must-win victory over archrival Lafayette on Wednesday. He was 3-for-4 with a walk, a run scored, three RBIs and a walk-off two-run home run to defeat Bucknell, 6-4 in nine innings on Saturday to start the series off with a win.
In Game 2, the Devon Prep product started the game with a home run in the bottom of the second inning to go back-to-back from the first game. He had his first career five-hit game by going 5-for-5 with a home run, a double, four RBIs and a walk-off two-run single in the bottom of the ninth to give Lehigh the 7-6 victory and sweep the doubleheader with Bucknell. He finished the game just a triple shy from Lehigh's first cycle since 2006.
Gallo led off the final game of the series on Sunday with a base hit to go 9-for-9 in his last at-bats and then walked in his next plate appearance to reach base in 10 straight appearances.
In addition to his hot bat, Gallo also found major success in the field at first base, with two diving catches to prevent base runners and another big catch in foul territory during the second game of the doubleheader Saturday. Finished his week with 38 putouts and five assists for a perfect 1.000 fielding percentage at first base.
Gallo comes out of the weekend as Lehigh's new top hitter with a .338 overall batting average and surges ahead to lead the entire Patriot League with a .431 clip in league play.
The award is Gallo's first national recognition of his collegiate career and the first national recognition the Mountain Hawks have received in 2019.
Like Lehigh Baseball on Facebook, follow on Twitter and Instagram for continued updates on the Mountain Hawks.
Collegiate Baseball's National Players Of The Week
RF J.J. Bleday, Vanderbilt: Bleday hit 5 home runs over 4 games as he went 7-for-18 at the plate with 7 RBI. He also scored 6 runs and had 23 total bases.
RHP Chase Walter, Western Carolina: Walter struck out a career-high 17 batters during a 5-1 complete game win over Furman. He gave up one earned run.
OF Dan Bolt, Bradley: Bolt belted 4 home runs with 7 RBI over 4 games as he went 8-for-16 at the plate. In the process, he extended his hitting streak to 14 games. Over those 14 games, he has raised his batting average 71 points.
RHP Alek Manoah, West Virginia: Manoah struck out 15 batters during a complete-game 1-0 shutout over Kansas. His performance comes a week after he fanned 15 Texas Tech. batters. In his last two starts, he has mowed down 30 batters.
RF James Ciliento, Bryant: Ciliento went 10-for-24 at the plate over five games as he belted 4 home runs and collected 12 RBI.
RHP Noah Song, Navy: Song fired a 1-hitter during a 3-0, 7-inning win over Army. Following a leadoff bunt single, Song retired 14 straight batters before allowing a 2-out walk in the fifth inning. He struck out 8 batters to move his season total to 118.
LF Justin Kirby, Kent St.: Kirby hit 3 home runs with a double over 4 games as he scored 7 runs and collected 5 RBI while stealing 2 bases.
LHP Evan Kravetz, Rice: Kravetz struck out a career-high 13 batters over 7 innings on the way to a win over Middle Tennessee. He only allowed 1 hit. The 13 strikeouts were the highest total by a Conference USA pitcher this season.
OF Mike Antico, St. John's: Antico went 7-for-14 with 3 home runs and collected 8 RBI over 4 games. He also stole 3 bases.
LHP Jake Agnos, East Carolina: Agnos struck out a career-high 14 batters over 8 2/3 innings during a 5-1 win over Connecticut. He struck out at least one batter in all nine innings. From the third until the ninth inning, he retired 18 of 19 batters, including 13 straight, before issuing a 2-out walk.
1B Ben Whetstone, Missouri St.: Whetstone clubbed 3 home runs and drove in 10 runs while scoring 6 runs.
RHP Cole Henry, Louisiana St.: Henry struck out a career-high12 Florida batters over 5 1/3 innings. His strikeout total was the most by an LSU pitcher in an SEC game since the 2015 season.
2B Travis Holt, High Point: Holt went 7-for-10 at the plate with 3 home runs, 2 doubles, 5 RBI and 3 runs scored.
RHP Michael Clark, Cal Poly: Clark earned two wins and did not allow a run over 10 1/3 innings of work with 8 strikeouts. He pitched the final four innings of Cal Poly's 4-2 win over Long Beach St., allowing no hits, no walks and struck out two. Two days later, he came back to pitch 6 1/3 innings during a 5-4 victory. He scattered 5 hits with 6 strikeouts.
DH/1B Matt Joslin, Austin Peay St.: Joslin went 6-for-9 with 13 RBI over 4 games with 2 home runs which included a grand slam.
1B Tony Gallo, Lehigh: Gallo went 11-for-16 at the plate with 2 home runs, a double, 2 walks and 8 RBI over 4 games. He had an on-base percentage of .750 and slugging percentage of 1.125.
Players Mentioned
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