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Gophers Collect Five Northwoods League Player of the Night Awards in Three Weeks
8/19/2020 10:21:00 AM | Baseball
During a 19-day period spanning from July 18 to Aug. 5, members of the Gopher Baseball program claimed five separate Northwoods League Player of the Night awards. Sam Ireland, Jack Kelly and Ronald Sweeny each brought home one such honor, while Chase Stanke earned the accolade on two occasions.
Stanke and Ireland kicked off Minnesota's run of success in the NWL with back-to-back Player of the Night awards from July 18-19. In winning Player of the Night on two consecutive days, Stanke and Ireland became the first Gopher duo to garner the accolade on back-to-back nights since 2009, when records of the award first began.
That impressive feat began a historic stretch for the Gophers, as the program went on to win three more such awards over the ensuing 17 days. Minnesota's previous record for NWL Player of the Night awards in one summer was set in 2011 – with three. Now, that record increases to five, as the aforementioned quartet set the new high bar in a span less than three weeks in length.
After Stanke and Ireland got the accolades rolling, Kelly was the next to earn Player of the Night on July 22. While powering the St. Cloud Rox to a 9-8 victory, Kelly finished 4-for-6 at the plate with one double and four RBI.
Next up was Sweeny on July 28, who brought the fireworks to lead the La Crosse Loggers to a crucial win over the Rockford Rivets. Sweeny went 3-for-5 in the game, slugging two home runs while collecting four RBI and three runs scored.
Lastly, Stanke earned his second Player of the Night nod of the summer on Aug. 5. Continuing his torrid performance at the plate in the NWL, Stanke went 4-for-5 with one home run, one double, three RBI and two runs.
With regular season games scheduled to conclude on Aug. 20, keep an eye out for end-of-season updates on all Gophers playing summer baseball in the days ahead.
Below is a complete list of Gopher players that have garnered Player or Pitcher of the Night honors in the Northwoods League.
Player of the Night
August 5, 2020: Chase Stanke (Willmar Stingers)
July 28, 2020: Ronald Sweeny (La Crosse Loggers)
July 22, 2020: Jack Kelly (St. Cloud Rox)
July 19, 2020: Sam Ireland (St. Cloud Rox)
July 18, 2020: Chase Stanke (Willmar Stingers)
June 25, 2019: Jack Kelly (St. Cloud Rox)
July 31, 2017: Riley Smith (Green Bay Bullfrogs)
July 2, 2016: Eduardo Estrada, Jr. (Willmar Stingers)
June 30, 2015: Austin Athmann (St. Cloud Rox)
June 10, 2015: Alex Boxwell (Waterloo Bucks)
August 7, 2012: Bobby Juan (Lacrosse Loggers)
August 4, 2011: Bobby Juan (Lacrosse Loggers)
July 6, 2011: Bobby Juan (Lacrosse Loggers)
June 26, 2011: Bobby Juan (Lacrosse Loggers)
July 25, 2009: Michael Kvasnicka (Brainerd Lunkers)
June 8, 2009: Michael Kvasnicka (Brainerd Lunkers)
Pitcher of the Night
August 20, 2017: Jake Stevenson (St. Cloud Rox)
August 12, 2017: Jake Stevenson (St. Cloud Rox)
August 8, 2015: Toby Anderson (Duluth Huskies)
July 27, 2015: Lucas Gilbreath (St. Cloud Rox)
June 12, 2015: Tyler Hanson (Willmar Stingers)
June 10, 2015: Toby Anderson (Duluth Huskies)
August 2, 2012: Alex Tukey (Battle Creek Bombers)
Stanke and Ireland kicked off Minnesota's run of success in the NWL with back-to-back Player of the Night awards from July 18-19. In winning Player of the Night on two consecutive days, Stanke and Ireland became the first Gopher duo to garner the accolade on back-to-back nights since 2009, when records of the award first began.
That impressive feat began a historic stretch for the Gophers, as the program went on to win three more such awards over the ensuing 17 days. Minnesota's previous record for NWL Player of the Night awards in one summer was set in 2011 – with three. Now, that record increases to five, as the aforementioned quartet set the new high bar in a span less than three weeks in length.
After Stanke and Ireland got the accolades rolling, Kelly was the next to earn Player of the Night on July 22. While powering the St. Cloud Rox to a 9-8 victory, Kelly finished 4-for-6 at the plate with one double and four RBI.
Next up was Sweeny on July 28, who brought the fireworks to lead the La Crosse Loggers to a crucial win over the Rockford Rivets. Sweeny went 3-for-5 in the game, slugging two home runs while collecting four RBI and three runs scored.
Lastly, Stanke earned his second Player of the Night nod of the summer on Aug. 5. Continuing his torrid performance at the plate in the NWL, Stanke went 4-for-5 with one home run, one double, three RBI and two runs.
With regular season games scheduled to conclude on Aug. 20, keep an eye out for end-of-season updates on all Gophers playing summer baseball in the days ahead.
Below is a complete list of Gopher players that have garnered Player or Pitcher of the Night honors in the Northwoods League.
Player of the Night
August 5, 2020: Chase Stanke (Willmar Stingers)
July 28, 2020: Ronald Sweeny (La Crosse Loggers)
July 22, 2020: Jack Kelly (St. Cloud Rox)
July 19, 2020: Sam Ireland (St. Cloud Rox)
July 18, 2020: Chase Stanke (Willmar Stingers)
June 25, 2019: Jack Kelly (St. Cloud Rox)
July 31, 2017: Riley Smith (Green Bay Bullfrogs)
July 2, 2016: Eduardo Estrada, Jr. (Willmar Stingers)
June 30, 2015: Austin Athmann (St. Cloud Rox)
June 10, 2015: Alex Boxwell (Waterloo Bucks)
August 7, 2012: Bobby Juan (Lacrosse Loggers)
August 4, 2011: Bobby Juan (Lacrosse Loggers)
July 6, 2011: Bobby Juan (Lacrosse Loggers)
June 26, 2011: Bobby Juan (Lacrosse Loggers)
July 25, 2009: Michael Kvasnicka (Brainerd Lunkers)
June 8, 2009: Michael Kvasnicka (Brainerd Lunkers)
Pitcher of the Night
August 20, 2017: Jake Stevenson (St. Cloud Rox)
August 12, 2017: Jake Stevenson (St. Cloud Rox)
August 8, 2015: Toby Anderson (Duluth Huskies)
July 27, 2015: Lucas Gilbreath (St. Cloud Rox)
June 12, 2015: Tyler Hanson (Willmar Stingers)
June 10, 2015: Toby Anderson (Duluth Huskies)
August 2, 2012: Alex Tukey (Battle Creek Bombers)
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