Miners hand out team awards

PALMER — During Pete Christopher’s first season as general manager of the Mat-Su Miners, the Alaska Baseball League squad included Monmouth University junior Mike Kelly.

The Freehold, N.J., native may not have led the Miners in many of the major statistical categories during the 2003 season. But Kelly was undoubtedly Mat-Su’s top utility player. He played in the field and posted a team-best five saves on the mound. Kelly’s play, and value to that 2003 squad, inspired a team award that’s now given annually to a member of the Miners.

During a team function to recognize the 2014 Miners award winners earlier this week, Mat-Su infielder Terrence Connelly earned the Mike Kelly Award.

“He’s an unsung hero in a lot of ways,” Mat-Su head coach Ben Taylor said. “He does a lot of stuff that doesn’t show up in the scorebook.”

Taylor said Connelly is an unselfish player, ready to take any position on the field or the designated hitter spot in the lineup. He’ll move a runner over, put down a sacrifice bunt or knock in a run with a sacrifice fly, Taylor said.

“He’s that kind of guy for us,” Taylor said.

Connelly has played shortstop, third base and second base for the Miners this season. Taylor also lauded Connelly’s effort to prepare and improve.

“I don’t know if he’s missed a day of early work, extra hitting all summer. He comes out every day for extra hitting, and that’s damn near every day,” Taylor said.

Connelly does many things that don’t always show in the scorebook. But Connelly is also putting up some impressive statistics.

“He’ll do whatever you need him to do. But let’s not let that take away from the guy’s a really good baseball player,” Taylor said of Connelly, a University of North Carolina Wilmington incoming junior.

Connelly is batting .304 overall, and .311 in ABL play. He has 21 hits, 13 runs, 12 RBIs and a team-high 19 walks. In league play, Connelly has struck out only four times in 45 at bats.

Connelly, who had a six-game hitting streak snapped during a loss in the second game of a doubleheader against the Alaska Goldpanners Tuesday, has had some big at bats recently.

Connelly doubled and drove in the game-winning run in a 1-0 win over the Goldpanners in Game 1 of the Tuesday doubleheader. That victory helped clinch the ABL North Division for the Miners.

Connelly was one of five Miners recognized.

Starting pitcher Tyler Stubblefield earned Most Valuable Player honors, outfielder Cameron Newell was named Overall Most Valuable Player, outfielder Cameron Frost was named Most Valuable Position Player and Paul Panaccione earned the Stan Zaborac Award.

Stubblefield has established himself as one of the top pitchers in the ABL this summer. The 6-foot-5 Texas A&M southpaw currently leads the ABL in earned run average (1.06) and wins (five). He’s also second in the league with 45 strikeouts, and has walked only nine hitters in 42 2/3 innings pitched.

Stubblefield has fanned 11 batters in a game twice this season. He pitched a complete game shutout in a 1-0 win over the Panners on Tuesday.

Newell, a UC Santa Barbara incoming senior, has been among league leaders in a number of statistical categories throughout the year. Heading into play Thursday evening, Newell ranked first in the league with 38 RBIs. He was also second in home runs (seven) and third in batting average (.353). Newell has also struck out only nine times in 116 at-bats heading into Mat-Su’s game with the Anchorage Bucs Thursday night.

Frost, a Washington State incoming sophomore, is also a league-leader. Heading into play Thursday, Frost was first in the league in both hits (48) and triples (seven).

Frost is also played in 35 of 37 games this year.

Panaccione, a Grand Canyon University shortstop, is the only Mat-Su player to play in all 37 games this season. The infielder received the award named for Zaborac, Mat-Su’s former longtime general manager, that honors sportsmanship and leadership.

Panaccione is batting .287 with 41 hits, 28 runs, 11 doubles and 13 RBIs.

Contact Mat-Su Valley Frontiersman sports editor Jeremiah Bartz at sports@frontiersman.com.