By Kevin Gelabert
University at Albany Baseball infielder Alex Thul was awarded the season's first America East Player of the Week honor. This occurred on Feb. 22 and was done for his dominant doubleheader performance which led to a 2-1 series victory over Maryland Eastern Shore.
Thul stole the show with his excellence at the plate. He went 4-12 with three RBIs and one run scored. Two of those RBIs came in the second act of the doubleheader, where Thul and the Great Danes erased a 3-0 deficit en route to a 6-3 victory.
"It feels really good and it's a great honor to have,” said Thul. “I think it felt even better winning the first series with everybody, it was really important for us and it gets everything rolling."
For Alex Thul, this was a long time coming. As a kid growing up in Martinsville, New Jersey, Alex always had his sights set on taking the field on a division one stage.
“I always wanted to play college baseball,” said Thul. “It was always a dream of mine.”
While Thul was playing high school ball at Bridgewater-Raritan Highschool, Alex caught the eye of Associate Head Coach Jeff Kaier.
“Coach Kaier watched me play a couple of times,” said Thul when asked if he remembered the first time UAlbany scouted him. “I visited the school and I thought it was a perfect fit for me and everything’s worked out.”
Thul also made it well known that he believes in his teammates and the team's ability to make some noise in the America East Conference this season.
“We’re pretty confident with our defense they’re awesome, hitting has been coming around.” Thul said, “We’re really good together, the guys love each other, and we all believe in each other.”
With vast improvements coming on both sides of the baseball and a strong sense of comradery in the locker room, there is little doubt in Alex Thul’s mind that player of the week won’t be the only award he sees the Great Danes winning in the America East.
Up next for Great Danes baseball is a weekend series against Manhattan College, on Mar. 7 and 8.