In a season where a young Washington State team has yet to figure out how to finish games, there is some good news for Cougar baseball. Experts have taken notice of the stellar season being turned in by Jason Monda.
Here’s the release from the College Baseball Hall of Fame:
"LUBBOCK, Texas – Washington State’s Jason Monda has been named to the watch list for John Olerud Two-Way Player of the Year Award, the College Baseball Hall of Fame announced, Saturday.A junior from Olympia, Wash., Monda has played in 37 games as a hitter and made a dozen appearances on the mound. He is the only student-athlete in the Pac-12 Conference to be on the watch list.Monda enters Saturday with a .294 average, four doubles and six home runs as an outfielder, first baseman and designated hitter. On the hill, he is 2-1 with a 0.78 ERA and 20 strikeouts in 23 innings.The award will be presented June 29."
Monda has stepped up his game on a number of levels this season. With the departure of Derek Jones and Taylor Ard, one of the questions about the 2013 Cougar team was who would provide offensive punch. The guy is leading the Cougs in RBI’s and played very solid baseball defensively for Coach Donnie Marbut.
As for his talent, the stats speak for themselves. But his greatest value to this ball club is the quiet leadership Monda brings day in and day out.
Jason is a student-athlete who is best described as a guy who “has game”.
Wouldn’t it be fitting that Monda would be honored with an award named after one of the greatest WSU student-athletes of all time?
GO COUGS!!!