WICHITA, Kan. – Georgia Tech baseball’s senior catcher Matthew Ellis (Waddy, Ky./Shelby County (Indiana)) earned national recognition, getting named to the Buster Posey Award watch list on Friday, the Greater Wichita Area Sports Commission announced.
Formerly known as the Johnny Bench Award, the renamed Buster Posey Award honors the top collegiate catcher nationally in the season. Ellis is one of four catchers from the Atlantic Coast Conference on the 63-member list.
Ellis has been one of Tech’s top offensive threats in his 35 games on The Flats. The Waddy, Ky. native is hitting .320 with 41 hits, nine doubles and 10 home runs on the season, driving home 39 runs with an OPS of 1.072.
The veteran catcher has been especially explosive of late, leading the team over the last 10 games with a .432 average. During that stretch, Ellis has 16 hits, three doubles and six home runs – including two grand slams – for a whopping 19 RBI. He’s reached base at a .511 clip, while slugging 1.000.
Known as “Catcher U,” Georgia Tech has had five finalists for the Buster Posey Award, including winners Joey Bart and Kevin Parada. Matt Wieters, Kyle McCann and Zane Evans were also finalists at Tech.
Ellis and Georgia Tech continue its gauntlet schedule to finish the season as it faces four top-10 teams in a five-week stretch when they take on No. 10-ranked Virginia on Friday, April 19. First pitch is set for 6 p.m. and will be broadcast live on ACC Network Extra.
Alexander-Tharpe Fund
The Alexander-Tharpe Fund is the fundraising arm of Georgia Tech athletics, providing scholarship, operations and facilities support for Tech’s 400-plus student-athletes. Be a part of the development of Yellow Jackets that thrive academically at the Institute and compete for championships at the highest levels of college athletics by supporting the Annual Athletic Scholarship Fund, which directly provides scholarships for Georgia Tech student-athletes. To learn more about supporting the Yellow Jackets, visit atfund.org.
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