Donovan and Betts Making It Happen on St. Joseph College Baseball Team

Two former St. Mary’s High baseball players are having standout seasons on the St. Joseph’s College  baseball team.

Dan Donovan of Lynn and Scott Betts of Peabody both took home Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) First Team honors. Donovan, a sophomore, earned a spot on the team as a designated hitter. Betts is a sophomore outfielder.

The Monks are 26-16 and will know May 11th whether they’ll be playing in the NCAA Division III Tournament being held in Harwich. St. Joseph’s is located in Standish, Maine.

Betts finished off the month of April with a bang. He was named GNAC Player of the Week for the week of April 20. The team went 5-2 with Betts hitting .545 (12-for-22). He had three runs, a double, two home runs and 11 RBI over the seven-game stretch. The sophomore started the week going 2-for-5 with two runs, a home run and four RBI against Bowdoin College and he topped it off with three hits, including a home run, and four RBI against the University of Southern Maine.

Betts, at the time the team was announced, was hitting .336 with 18 runs scored, eight doubles, three home runs, 28 RBI and two stolen bases. Donovan’s .421 average earned him a spot on the team. He had 11 runs scored, six doubles, 14 RBI and two stolen bases.

Monks coach Will Sanborn, the GNAC Coach of the Year, had some nice things to say about both players.

“Dan Donovan has had an amazing season for us. He began the year coming off the bench as a pinch hitter and it seemed every time we put him in that role, he was successful,” Sanborn said.

“At one point  I think he was 8-for-12 as a pinch hitter, pretty impressive,” Sanborn said. “He has hit his way into the lineup as our starting DH. He has a great approach, puts on tough at bats and has a knack for coming up with the big hit.”

Sanborn said Betts has really developed as a college player.

“As a hitter, Scott has learned to make the adjustments necessary to be a college hitter,” Sanborn said. “He has the strength to really drive the baseball and he has improved his ability to hit breaking stuff and spray the ball to all fields.”

Sanborn said what is most impressive is that Betts is his development as an outfielder.

“As our everyday right fielder

Dan Donovan (left )and Scott Betts.

Dan Donovan (left )and Scott Betts.

he has developed excellent outfield skills and his instincts have steadily improved,” Sanborn said.

Both Donovan and Betts played for coach Derek Dana at St. Mary’s. Donovan also played hockey and golfed. Betts played football, basketball and baseball.  Donovan is the son of Dan and Cindy Donovan of Lynn and Betts is the son of David and Susan Betts of Peabody.

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