PROVIDENCE, R.I. (May 21, 2012) – Junior left-hander Rob Smorol (Clark, N.J.) has earned a spot on the BIG EAST Weekly Honor Roll, the league office announced Monday. It marks the second career conference honor and first this season for the junior.

Smorol (8-3), who led the BIG EAST with six conference victories, pitched the best game of his collegiate career in his latest start against Villanova at Bainton Field on Friday, May 18. He tossed a complete game three-hit shutout, not allowing a runner to reach third base with three strikeouts and 16 fly outs in the 125-pitch outing to help the Scarlet Knights win the middle game of the series, 6-0. It was the first complete game this season and third in his career.

The eight wins in 2012 tied him with nine former RU hurlers for the sixth-most victories in a single season in RU baseball history. The left-hander has 17 career wins to his record.

The only Rutgers pitcher to have made a start in all 14 weekend series this season, Smorol has a team-best 3.24 ERA for the year on 89.0 innings worked. He has also held opponents to a .240 batting average, eighth-lowest in the BIG EAST.

The crafty lefty will next pitch this week in the 2012 BIG EAST Championships at Bright House Field in Clearwater, Fla., as No. 6 Rutgers opens the event against state rival No. 3 Seton Hall on Wednesday, May 23 at 10 a.m.

Smorol was also named to the BIG EAST Weekly Honor Roll on April 18, 2011 and is the second Scarlet Knight pitcher to be honored by the league office this season (Rob Corsi – 2/27, 3/19).

BIG EAST Weekly Honors (5/21)

Player of the Week

Braden Kline, Cincinnati, C/OF, Sr.

Pitcher of the Week

David Fischer, Connecticut, RHP, Sr.

Honor Roll

Mike Garza, IF, Jr., Georgetown

Casey Roche, OF, So., Pittsburgh

Rob Smorol, LHP, Jr., Rutgers

Sean Hagan, LHP, Jr., St. John’s

Jon Prosinski, RHP, Jr., Seton Hall

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