Eastern Michigan Athletics
Adam Sonabend Named to Johnny Bench Award Watch List
3/12/2013 1:14:00 PM | Baseball
Junior catcher leads the team with a .364 batting average and 10 RBI
WICHITA, Kan. (EMUEagles.com) – Eastern Michigan University junior catcher Adam Sonabend is one of 48 catchers named to the 2013 Johnny Bench Award Watch List as announced by the Greater Wichita Area Sports Commission Monday, March 11.
Sonabend has started all 15 games, including 13 from behind the plate, while amassing a team-high .364 batting average and 10 RBI to go along with a .444 on-base percentage, one home run and a pair of stolen bases. Defensively, the junior backstop carries a .981 fielding percentage and has gunned down seven potential base stealers.
The Scottsdale, Ariz., native went 5-for-7 in the season-opening series against Campbell, Feb. 15, including a 4-for-4 effort with four RBI in Eastern Michigan's 10-6 victory in game two. For his efforts, Sonabend was named MAC West Offensive Player of the Week by the conference office, Feb. 19.
Sonabend is Head Coach Jay Alexander's lone transfer student for the 2013 season. He joins the Eagles from Mesa Community College, where he was a first-team ACCAC DII All-Region selection after batting .325 with a home run, 15 doubles and 40 RBI in 2012.
The watch list for the Bench Award will be updated to include other candidates through May 6 and will then be narrowed down to the semifinalists on May 16, 2013. 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 on June 4.
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 15th Annual Greater Wichita Sports Banquet on June 27, 2013.
2013 Johnny Bench Award presented by BaseballSavings.com Watch List
Adam Sonabend, JR, Eastern Michigan University
Blake Austin, JR, Auburn University
Brett Austin, SO, North Carolina State University
Dan Bethea, SR, St. John's University
Austin Bossart, SO, University of Pennsylvania
Ryan Breen, SR, University of Central Florida
Garrett Custons, SR, Air Force Academy
Mike Danaher, SR, Binghamton University
Blair DeBord, JR, Kansas State University
Brian Dixon, JR, University of New Orleans
Kaiana Eldredge, JR, University of Kansas
Zane Evans, JR, Georgia Tech
Drew Farber, JR, UNC Wilmington
Jacob Felts, JR, University of Texas
Aramis Garcia, SO, Florida International University
Mitchell Garver, SR, University of New Mexico
Kyle Gibson, JR, University of Louisville
Grayson Greiner, SO, University of South Carolina
Radley Haddad, SR, Butler University
Chris Hoo, JR, Cal Poly
Nate Irving, SO, University of Virginia
Blake Johnson, SR, Arkansas-Little Rock
Jose Longoria, SR, Grambling State University
Adam Martin, JR, Western Carolina University
Stephen McGee, JR, Florida State University
Riley Moore, SO, University of Arizona
Spencer Navin, JR, Vanderbilt University
Grant Nelson, SR, Saint Louis University
Ramon Ortega, SR, Manhattan College
Matt Paré, SR, Boston College
Jordan Parris, JR, Tennessee Tech University
Colton Plaia, SR, Loyola Marymount University
Jake Rodriguez, JR, Oregon State University
Tyler Ross, JR, Louisiana State University
Tanner Rust, JR, New Mexico State University
Scott Sarratt, SR, Georgia State University
Brandon Schott, SR, University of Maryland Eastern Shore
Kyle Schwarber, SO, Indiana University
Ronnie Shaeffer, SR, UC Irvine
Elvin Soto, SO, University of Pittsburgh
Michael Spano, SR, Florida Atlantic University
Andrew Stumph, SR, Texas State University
Alex Swim, SR, Elon University
Stuart Turner, JR, University of Mississippi
Luke Voit, SR, Missouri State University
Matt Winn, SO, Virginia Military Institute
Jake Wise, JR, University of Arkansas
Mack Zagunis, SO, Virginia Tech
Sonabend has started all 15 games, including 13 from behind the plate, while amassing a team-high .364 batting average and 10 RBI to go along with a .444 on-base percentage, one home run and a pair of stolen bases. Defensively, the junior backstop carries a .981 fielding percentage and has gunned down seven potential base stealers.
The Scottsdale, Ariz., native went 5-for-7 in the season-opening series against Campbell, Feb. 15, including a 4-for-4 effort with four RBI in Eastern Michigan's 10-6 victory in game two. For his efforts, Sonabend was named MAC West Offensive Player of the Week by the conference office, Feb. 19.
Sonabend is Head Coach Jay Alexander's lone transfer student for the 2013 season. He joins the Eagles from Mesa Community College, where he was a first-team ACCAC DII All-Region selection after batting .325 with a home run, 15 doubles and 40 RBI in 2012.
The watch list for the Bench Award will be updated to include other candidates through May 6 and will then be narrowed down to the semifinalists on May 16, 2013. 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 on June 4.
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 15th Annual Greater Wichita Sports Banquet on June 27, 2013.
2013 Johnny Bench Award presented by BaseballSavings.com Watch List
Adam Sonabend, JR, Eastern Michigan University
Blake Austin, JR, Auburn University
Brett Austin, SO, North Carolina State University
Dan Bethea, SR, St. John's University
Austin Bossart, SO, University of Pennsylvania
Ryan Breen, SR, University of Central Florida
Garrett Custons, SR, Air Force Academy
Mike Danaher, SR, Binghamton University
Blair DeBord, JR, Kansas State University
Brian Dixon, JR, University of New Orleans
Kaiana Eldredge, JR, University of Kansas
Zane Evans, JR, Georgia Tech
Drew Farber, JR, UNC Wilmington
Jacob Felts, JR, University of Texas
Aramis Garcia, SO, Florida International University
Mitchell Garver, SR, University of New Mexico
Kyle Gibson, JR, University of Louisville
Grayson Greiner, SO, University of South Carolina
Radley Haddad, SR, Butler University
Chris Hoo, JR, Cal Poly
Nate Irving, SO, University of Virginia
Blake Johnson, SR, Arkansas-Little Rock
Jose Longoria, SR, Grambling State University
Adam Martin, JR, Western Carolina University
Stephen McGee, JR, Florida State University
Riley Moore, SO, University of Arizona
Spencer Navin, JR, Vanderbilt University
Grant Nelson, SR, Saint Louis University
Ramon Ortega, SR, Manhattan College
Matt Paré, SR, Boston College
Jordan Parris, JR, Tennessee Tech University
Colton Plaia, SR, Loyola Marymount University
Jake Rodriguez, JR, Oregon State University
Tyler Ross, JR, Louisiana State University
Tanner Rust, JR, New Mexico State University
Scott Sarratt, SR, Georgia State University
Brandon Schott, SR, University of Maryland Eastern Shore
Kyle Schwarber, SO, Indiana University
Ronnie Shaeffer, SR, UC Irvine
Elvin Soto, SO, University of Pittsburgh
Michael Spano, SR, Florida Atlantic University
Andrew Stumph, SR, Texas State University
Alex Swim, SR, Elon University
Stuart Turner, JR, University of Mississippi
Luke Voit, SR, Missouri State University
Matt Winn, SO, Virginia Military Institute
Jake Wise, JR, University of Arkansas
Mack Zagunis, SO, Virginia Tech
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