McNeese’s Gonzales, UNO’s Blanchard tabbed Southland Baseball Players of the Week

Andruw Gonzales named Hitter of the Week, Beau Blanchard tabbed Pitcher of the Week

FRISCO, Texas – McNeese’s Andruw Gonzales is the Southland Conference Hitter of the Week and New Orleans’ Beau BLanchard earns Pitcher of the Week honors, the league announced Monday. Weekly awards are presented by GEICO.

Gonzales started every game behind the dish for the Cowboys in a series win over Texas A&M-Corpus Christi, while hitting 8-for-13 (.615) at the plate. He scored three runs, drove in a pair and did not strike out over the weekend. Winners of eight of its last nine league contests, McNeese (25-19, 11-7 SLC) hosts SFA at 6 p.m. CT Tuesday, followed by Southland foe Northwestern State this weekend, in its last homestand of the regular season.

Blanchard recorded his longest outing as a Privateer, tossing 7.2 innings out of the bullpen in a 9-4 upset of then-No. 22 LSU last Tuesday. He notched his first win of the season after striking out six and allowing just a pair of runs in long relief. New Orleans (23-18, 9-9 SLC) visits Pelican Cup foe Tulane at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday before returning home to welcome UIW for a three-game series starting at 6:30 p.m. Friday.

Hitter of the Week – Andruw Gonzales, McNeese – Redshirt Sophomore – Catcher – Elgin, Texas
Gonzales opened the weekend with a season-high three hits in a series-opening win over the Islanders and matched that number in game two as well. He got the scoring underway on Saturday, coming home on an infield single in the seventh inning. Gonzales later singled in a run in the 7-3 series-clinching victory. He closed the weekend with another multi-hit effort and pulled the Pokes within two in the final frame before the comeback fell short.

Honorable Mention: Logan Letney, HBU; Alec Carr, UIW; Garrett Felix, Nicholls; Preston Faulkner, Southeastern; Max Puls, Texas A&M-Corpus Christi.

Pitcher of the Week – Beau Blanchard, New Orleans – Sophomore – Relief Pitcher – New Iberia, La.
Blanchard entered in a tough spot, taking over in the second with runners on second and third after an RBI double put No. 22 LSU ahead 2-0 in the midweek tilt. However, the sophomore reliever got out of the jam by retiring first-team preseason All-Americans Dylan Crews and Jacob Berry, who went a combined 0-for-9 in the affair. UNO plated four in the home half of the second and never looked back. Blanchard finished the game with six punchouts.

Honorable Mention: Devin Desandro, Nicholls; Drayton Brown, Northwestern State; Adam Guth, Southeastern.

Southland weekly award winners are nominated and voted upon by each school’s sports information director. Voting for one’s own athlete is not permitted. To earn honorable mention, a student-athlete must appear on 25 percent of ballots.

2022 Southland Baseball Players of the Week
May 2 – Andruw Gonzales, McNeese; Beau Blanchard, New Orleans
April 25 – Pearce Howard, New Orleans; Cameron Foster, McNeese
April 18 – Bryce Grizzaffi, Southeastern; Tyler Theriot, Nicholls.
April 11 – Ridge Rogers, UIW; Brandon Mitchell, New Orleans
April 4 – Pearce Howard, New Orleans; Jaime Ramirez Jr., Texas A&M-Corpus Christi
March 28 – Alec Paz, Nicholls; Johnathan Harmon, Northwestern State
March 21 – Amani Larry, New Orleans; Adam Guth, Southeastern
March 14 – Garrett Felix, Nicholls; Collin Horton, New Orleans
March 8 – Brendan Ryan, Texas A&M-Corpus Christi; Cameron Foster, McNeese
March 1 – Pearce Howard, New Orleans; Michael Garza, UIW
Feb. 22 – Jake Miller, HBU; Grant Rogers, McNeese