MCKENNA DRAFTED IN 27TH ROUND BY DETROIT TIGERS

June 11, 2009

TIGERS SELECT MCKENNA IN 27TH ROUND OF BASEBALL DRAFT

Senior Pat McKenna was selected by the Detroit Tigers in the 27th round of the 2009 MLB Draft.

SMITHFIELD, RI – Bryant University baseball senior shortstop Pat McKenna (Orange, CT) was selected by the Detroit Tigers in the 27th round (810th overall) during Wednesday’s Major League Baseball draft. He becomes the first Bryant baseball player drafted since Doug Johnson was selected by the Colorado Rockies in the fifth round (142nd overall) in the 2002 draft.

McKenna finished off one of the finest four-year careers that Bryant has ever seen. Since walking onto campus as a freshman, McKenna has been the starting shortstop for the Bulldogs, starting in all of Bryant's 223 games over the last four years, setting the program record for both games started and games played.

McKenna also finds himself atop the Bryant career charts in triples with 15 and walks with 113, while he sits third in runs scored with 154, fourth in doubles with 44, tied for fifth in home runs with 22 and tied for fourth in hits with 234. Defensively, McKenna has shown himself to be a solid defensive shortstop, setting the Bryant record for assists in a career with 801 while making just 89 career errors to give him a .928 career fielding percentage. McKenna had a career batting average of .289, including hitting .319 over his last three seasons. This season, he finished third on the team in hitting with a .338 average while leading the team in home runs (12) and runs scored (62).

Bryant posted a 32-22 overall record in its first year competing in Division I in 2009.  The Bulldogs posted an impressive 4-1 record against teams from the Atlantic-10, 3-0 against America East teams and 2-1 against teams from the ACC.