Fresno State Athletics
Ward Named Bench Award Semifinalist
5/14/2015 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
By: Matt Burkholder
mburkholder@csufresno.edu
GoBulldogs.com
FRESNO, Calif. - Fresno State junior catcher Taylor Ward was named a semifinalist on Thursday for the 2015 Johnny Bench Award, presented by BaseballSavings.com. Ward, one of 75 initial members named to the March 11 watch list, was one of 20 student-athletes named a semifinalist on Thursday.
The annual Johnny Bench Award recognizes college baseball's top catcher at the end of each baseball season. Last year's winner was Max Pentecost from Kennesaw State, he was drafted 11th overall by the Toronto Blue Jays in 2014 MLB June draft.
Ward, the only Bulldog to have started every game in 2015, leads Fresno State with 32 RBIs and 35 runs scored. The preseason All-American has 54 hits, 13 doubles, and seven home runs and is 7-for-7 on stolen bases as a junior. He is hitting .290 while starting 50 of 52 games behind the plate (two starts as designated hitter).
Ballots will be sent to a national voting panel at the end of May for a vote to determine the three finalists. The finalists will be announced June 2, 2015. 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 18th Annual Greater Wichita Sports Banquet on June 25, 2015.
The Johnny Bench Award semifinalists are (in alphabetical order):
• Chris Biocic, Alabama State University SO
• Levi Borders, University of South Florida JR
• Austin Bossart, University of Pennsylvania SR
• Andrew Clow, Mount St. Mary's University SR
• Danny De La Calle, Florida State University SR
• Trey Keegan, Bowling Green State University SO
• Kevin Martir, University of Maryland JR
• Darrell Miller Jr, University of California, Los Angeles SO
• Sean Murphy, Wright State University SO• Chris Okey, Clemson University SO
• Joey Roach, Georgia State University JR
• Daniel Salters, Dallas Baptist University SR
• Kade Scivicque, Louisiana State University SR
• Brian Serven, Arizona State University SO
• Garrett Stubbs, University of Southern California SR
• Erik VanMeetren, University of Nevada - Las Vegas SR
• Taylor Ward, Fresno State University JR
• Travis Watkins, East Carolina University SO
• Matt Whatley, Oral Roberts University FR
• Matt Winn, Virginia Military Institute SR
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