Derry’s Murphy named POY
- Updated: May 9, 2019
STANDISH, Maine – Saint Joseph College shortstop Joey Murphy, a Derry resident, has been selected as the 2019 Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) Baseball Player of the Year.
Murphy, a senior who played high school baseball at Pinkerton Academy, was also named to the All-GNAC First Team and the GNAC All-Defensive Team.
He is joined on the First Team by senior catcher Greg Emanuelson (Hudson, N.H.), senior outfielder Jared Gagne (Dover, N.H.), and freshman pitcher Matt Bergeron (Salem, N.H.). Junior second baseman Drew Healey (Rochester, N.H.) claimed Third Team All-Conference honors.
Murphy becomes the sixth SJC player to garner GNAC Player of the Year accolades after hitting .428 (65-152) with 45 runs, 11 doubles, a triple, a home run, 21 RBIs, and 36 steals in 39 attempts. He leads the conference in hits and stolen bases, ranks second in batting average, third in runs, fifth in OBP (.476), and sixth in doubles and total bases (80). He currently ranks second in NCAA DIII Baseball in steals and seventh in steals per game (0.90).
In 149 career games the four-year starter is hitting .362 (187-517) with 133 runs, 27 doubles, three triples, three homers, 77 RBI and 73 stolen bases in 83 attempts. His .362 career batting average ranks 10th in program history and he is also seventh all-time in runs and 11th in hits. Murphy has shattered the Monks’ career stolen bases record, which was formerly held by SJC Hall of Famer Arlo Pike, who swiped 61 bags in 144 games.
An all-around player, Murphy anchors the SJC defense at shortstop with 12 errors in 172 chances for a .930 fielding percentage. He has taken part in 19 of the Monks’ 32 double plays this spring.
Gagne earns First Team All-Conference honors for the second-consecutive season after hitting .413 (59-143) with 46 runs, 10 doubles, six triples, one home run, 30 RBIs, and 35 stolen bases in 40 attempts while starting all 42 games this spring. He leads the conference in triples, ranks second in hits, runs and stolen bases, third in batting average and total bases (84), fifth in slugging percentage (.587), and ninth in doubles, RBI and OBP (.463).
In 145 career games Gagne is hitting .378 (138-365) with 110 runs, 21 doubles, 12 triples, two home runs, 68 RBI, and 70 stolen bases. He currently ranks second all-time in stolen bases (behind Murphy) and sixth in batting average.
Emanuelson claims All-Conference accolades for the first time after hitting .343 (49-143) with 33 runs, 10 doubles, three triples, six home runs, 47 RBI, and eight stolen bases while starting all 42 of the Monks’ games this season. He leads the GNAC in RBI and ranks second in home runs, fifth in total bases (83), seventh in slugging percentage (.580), and ninth in doubles.
In 119 career contests Emanuelson is hitting .319 (94-295) with 55 runs, 20 doubles, six triples, 11 home runs, 87 RBI, and 10 stolen bases.
Bergeron becomes just the seventh SJC pitcher – and first freshman hurler – to garner First Team All-GNAC honors after posting a 2.88 ERA with a 6-3 record and 28 strikeouts and just nine walks in 50 innings this season. Opposing hitters are batting just .229 (43-188) against him this spring and he leads the GNAC in ERA, ranks second in wins, and fourth in complete games (3).
Healey has been a consistent offensive force in the middle of the Monks’ line-up as a first-year starter, as the junior second baseman is hitting .348 (39-112) with 25 runs, six doubles, a triple, a homer, and 22 RBI while appearing in 40 contests this season. The Third Team All-GNAC honoree is currently ranked eighth in the conference with a .464 OBP.
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