MIAC Player of the Week
WINONA, Minn. — Saint Mary's University of Minnesota's
Bob Kinne (St. Paul, Minn.) is no stranger to being named Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Player of the Week.
After all, he's earned the conference's weekly honor twice.
In hockey.
Monday afternoon, the Cardinal junior earned his third MIAC Player of the Week honor—this time thanks to his Herculean efforts on the baseball diamond.
Kinne hit a team-leading .563, going 9-for-16 with a double, two home urns, five runs scored and eight RBIs in helping the Cardinals to a 3-1 record—not to mention a berth in the MIAC post-season tournament.
And it was in the two Game 2s where Kinne really made his presence felt.
After going 1-for-4 in a 5-2 win in the opening game of the Cardinals' MIAC doubleheader against Concordia last Wednesday, Kinne turned up the heat in Game 2, putting together a 3-for-4, two-run, four-RBI effort—including a home run and a key, two-run, two-out single in the Cardinals' six-run ninth—in their 10-6, come-from-behind victory.
Kinne's performance in the team's regular-season finale against Bethel four days later was eerily similar to his effort against the Cobbers. Kinne finished 2-for-3 in the Cardinals' 5-2 loss to the Royals in the opener, before banging out three hits in five at-bats—including his fourth home run in the last six games—scoring twice and driving in four more runs in Saint Mary's 14-6 victory in the nightcap.
Kinne, who has started all 39 games this season, is hitting .380 (54-for-142), with 13 doubles, three triples and six home runs. Along with his team-high six home runs, the junior outfielder also leads the team in RBIs (44), total bases (91), and slugging percentage (.641).
The Cardinals (13-7 MIAC, 25-13-1 overall) will be making their fourth MIAC Playoff appearance in the last five years when they take to the field on Thursday against regular-season champion St. Thomas in the first game of the four-team double-elimination tournament. Game time Thursday is set for 7 p.m. at Saint John's Becker Park in Collegeville, Minn.
