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KENNESAW, Ga. – As the 2014 baseball season gets underway, Kennesaw State starting catcher Max Pentecost continues his string of high accolades, this time earning a spot on the Johnny Bench Award watch list, it was released on Friday.
 
The award is given out annually to the nation's top NCAA Division I catcher and currently contains 43 names.
 
So far in 2014, Pentecost leads the Owls in slugging percentage with a .475 mark, belting six of his 20 hits for extra bases. The Winder, Ga. native holds a .339 batting average with 12 runs scored and nine RBI as well as three stolen bases in as many attempts.
 
From behind the plate, Pentecost has caught five runners attempting to steal.
 
The watch list will be narrowed down to the semifinalists, who will be announced May 15, 2014. Ballots will be sent to the national voting panel at the end of May for a vote to determine the three finalists. The finalists will be announced June 3, 2014. A final vote among the national committee will occur during the College World Series. All finalists will be brought to Wichita, Kan. and the winner will be announced at the 17^th Annual Greater Wichita Sports Banquet on June 26, 2014.
 
On top of the Johnny Bench watch list, Pentecost was also named to the Sporting News All-America Preseason Team as well as the USA Baseball Golden Spikes Award watch list earlier this season.
 
Pentecost also earned Baseball America's Preseason Second Team All-American honors and was the Atlantic Sun Conference's first Player of the Week.
 
The catcher adds to his trophy case after already being named to the All-A-Sun Preseason team just one month ago after a 2013 campaign that saw Pentecost hit .302 with a team high 14 doubles and three homeruns.
 
The accolades come after a stellar summer for the junior as he put together a batting average of .347 with 29 RBI and six home runs for the Bourne Braves, earning him the Cape Cod League MVP award as well as the Perfect Game Summer Player of the Year title.

To keep up with the latest Kennesaw State baseball news, follow the team on Twitter @KSUOwlNation and @KSUOwlsBaseball or by liking Kennesaw State University on Facebook.

For more information on how to purchase tickets, please call the KSU ticket office at 770-423-6957, or by visiting KSUOwls.com/tickets.

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