Massachusetts Maritime senior righthander Kyle Kennedy and freshman outfielder Paul Sances were named as the Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference Baseball Pitcher and Rookie of the Week on Monday afternoon for their performances in leading the Buccaneers to their first-ever appearance in the league championship round.

Kennedy, a native of Woodbury, Conn. and a graduate of Nonnewaug High School, recorded all three of Massachusetts Maritime’s victories during the MASCAC tournament, as he scattered five hits and struck out eight while allowing just one run in nine total innings over four appearances.  Kennedy escaped a bases-loaded, no outs jam in the ninth inning of Sunday’s 6-5 win at Salem State in the first conference title contest, and he tossed a combined 4 1/3 scoreless frames with four strikeouts in a 3-2 second round triumph over Fitchburg State and a 6-3 elimination round win over Westfield State.  The honor was Kyle’s second of the season, as he also copped the Pitcher of the Week award on April 11^th after earning a win and two saves in regular season sweeps of both Fitchburg State and Worcester State.

Sances, a native of Middleboro, Mass. and a graduate of Middleboro High School, batted .600 during the MASCAC championships with an RBI and a stolen base, including a key suicide squeeze during a five-run eighth inning rally in Saturday’s 6-3 elimination round victory over Westfield State.  Paul, who also collected his second conference Rookie of the Week honor this spring, added three hits in Sunday’s championship round contests against Salem State.

Head Coach Mike Kelley’s Buccaneers, who have posted their highest single-season win total since 1983 with a 23-15 overall mark to date, have earned their ninth trip to the ECAC Division III New England Championships, as Massachusetts Maritime will host Brandeis in quarterfinal round action on Thursday afternoon at Commodore Hendy Field beginning at 4:00 p.m. EDT.