Azar a semifinalist for Johnny Bench Award
5/15/2014 11:07:00 AM | Baseball
Sam Houston State senior catcher Anthony Azar has been named a semifinalist for the Johnny Bench Award, given annually to the nation's top catcher. The Greater Wichita Area Sports Commission announced the list of 15 semifinalists Thursday.
Azar leads the Bearkats in nearly all offensive categories while also managing a pitching staff with a solid 2.87 earned run average. The Woodlands product is batting .366 with nine homers and 42 RBI this season. He's slugging .571 and has an on base percentage of .453. With only 10 strikeouts in 191 at bats, he is one of the toughest players in the nation to strike out.
He has thrown out 18 attempted base-stealers this season, which is tied for the lead in the Southland. Azar has only committed one error this season and has the best fielding percentage (.997) of all of Sam Houston's every-day players.
Azar is Sam Houston's first ever semifinalist for the Johnny Bench Award.
The Johnny Bench Award semifinalists (in alphabetical order):
• Will Allen, University of Mississippi
• Brett Austin, North Carolina State University
• Anthony Azar, Sam Houston State University
• Aramis Garcia, Florida International University
• Grayson Greiner University of South Carolina
• Taylor Gushue, University of Florida
• Sean Hagen, Eastern Kentucky University
• Mike Hollenbeck, Illinois State University
• Sean McHugh, Purdue University
• Brian O'Keefe, Saint Joseph's University
• Max Pentecost, Kennesaw State University
• Alex Real, University of New Mexico
• Kyle Schwarber, Indiana University
• Mark Zagunis, Virginia Tech
• Shane Zeile, UCLA
Ballots will be sent to the national voting panel at the end of May for a vote to determine the three finalists. The finalists will be announced June 3, 2014. A final vote among the national committee will occur during the College World Series. All finalists will be brought to Wichita and the winner will be announced at the 17th Annual Greater Wichita Sports Banquet on June 26, 2014.
The No. 25 Sam Houston State baseball team enters its final weekend of Southland Conference play tied with Texas A&M-Corpus Christi and will welcome the Islanders to Don Sanders Stadium with the conference title up for grabs.
The Bearkats (37-15, 19-8) and Islanders (30-22, 19-8) are slated for a three game set beginning Thursday with first pitch scheduled for 6:30 p.m. The clubs will also play Friday at 6:30 p.m. and Saturday at 1 p.m.
All three games this weekend are “Youth Baseball Days.” Any youth baseball and softball player who wears their uniform to the game will receive free admission and parent's tickets start at $6.
Kids will have the opportunity to run the bases after Saturday's regular season finale. Purchase tickets online by clicking here or over the phone by calling 936-294-1729.
