Joe Panik, the star shortstop for the St. John's Red Storm, was picked 29th in the 2011 MLB draft. Panik has signed a contract/ agreed to terms with the San Francisco Giants. Since the contract was completed quickly, rumor has it that Panik's contract should be around for $1.1 million, which is the recommended contract price for the 29th pick in the draft.

Panik projects as a second baseman for the Giants, according to a few publications. Good luck to Joe as he embarks on his major league baseball career.

Joe hit .398 on the season with a .508 on-base percentage and .642 slugging percentage for the Red Storm. Panik hit 10 home runs, drove in 57 RBI, and had 21 stolen bases on the season. (more statistics from Red Storm Sports)

John Sickles talks about Panik's game, his polish, and how he should be ready in the majors.

That, and a pair of scouting videos, below the fold.

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In a crazy back and forth game yesterday afternoon in the Charlottesville Region the St. John's Red Strom lost 6-4 to ECU ending their season.

The Johnnies just didn't have enough to get over the hump yesterday as they went down early 3-0. Starter Brendan Lobban went only 3 innings giving up those three runs before he was pulled for Eddie Medina. Medina (3-2) and Matt Carasiti threw 6 innings of 3 run relief to keep the Storm in the game.

It all started for ECU with a run in the second inning and then a two run bomb by Corey Thompson. Thompson was on base all day as he went 3-4 with a home run, two RBI and two runs scored.

St. John's came back to tie it at three when they got two in the third and one in the fourth. Jeremey Baltz was 1-3 with two RBI and Frankie Schwindel had an RBI double to tie the game.

ECU got an insurance run in the ninth off of Carasiti off a bloop RBI single from Matt Ussery, who hadn't had a hit the entire tournament. St. John's got a two out single in the ninth but Joe Panik, the teams best player, grounded out to end the season for the Johnnies.

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The St. John's Red Storm just didn't have it in them yesterday afternoon. With both aces for Virginia and St. John's on the mound it looked like it would be a low scoring game. But the Cavs scorched St. Johns' Kyle Hansen (8-7) for 6 runs in 4.1 innings.

Danny Hultzen (11-3) shut down the Johnnies through 7 innings giving up only one run and striking out 12 in the 10-2 win for Virginia. But Hultzen didn't just shut down the Johnnies he also helped his cause going 2-3 from the plate with an RBI. Steven Proscia - who was one of the Virginia players to watch in the preview - was 3-5 with a home run and three RBIs.

Joe Panik went 2-4 with a solo home run while Kevin Grove went 1-3 with an RBI triple. The Storm just couldn't break through the Cavs with only 6 hits on the game. Stephen Rivera, who came on in relief of Hansen, had his scoreless streak snapped at 21.2 innings pitched when he game up a RBI single to Hultzen.

More on the fate of the team after the jump.

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Down in Charlottesville, the Red Storm hope to pick up another win in the NCAA Tournament against the hosts, the Virginia Cavaliers. If you're interested in watching live, you can follow via NCAA.org's live link.

From today's preview of the St. John's/ Virginia game:

Virginia - the number 1 seed in the country - is a 50 game winner and a tough match up for the Storm. Like ECU, Virginia has a very balanced lineup with all of their players producing. The Cavs don't have a player with over 7 home runs; they do a lot of their work with moving runners over and scoring on singles and doubles. Players to watch tomorrow are catcher Scott Hicks (.340 7 HR 51 RBI) and third baseman Steven Proscia (.331 7 HR 53 RBI).

Kyle Hansen will start, and have his hands full.

If you're behind, take a look at the recap of yesterday's game, a 2-0 win over East Carolina - also on the post with the Virginia preview. And take a look at the Red Storm baseball team's tournament path and tourney draw. And keep track of teams around the nation with the NCAA's interactive tourney bracket.

And vote for Joe Panik in the Golden Spikes Award ballot.

This is an open thread, so feel free to talk about the game below.

Sean Hagan turned in a terrific start for the Red Storm in their opener of the Charlottesville Region of the NCAA tournament.

Hagan went 7.1 innings, allowing no runs and striking out 6 to lead the Storm in their 2-0 victory over ECU. Hagan got into trouble a couple of times during the game, like in the bottom of the second when a diving catch by centerfielder Jimmy Brennan saved at least 1 run from scoring to end the inning.

Brennan wasn't just a star in the field as he went 3-5 from the plate with an RBI. That RBI was the first run of the game and gave the Johnnies an early lead. The Johnnies loaded the bases in the fourth inning with no outs and got a sac fly from Kevin Grove to push the lead to 2-0.

The Johnnies had a lot of chances and even left 12 men on base during the game. But Hagan and closer Matt Carisiti stranded all 13 of the Pirates base runners. Carisiti came in the 8th with one out and runners on first and second with the Johnnies clinging to a 2-0 lead. A passed ball moved the runners to second and third before Carisiti struck out John Wooten on a breaking ball and induced Chase McDonald to a fly out.

In the ninth, Carisiti had runners on second and third again with two outs. But he worked out of the jam; Caristi got Trent Whitehead to ground to Joe Panik who made an amazing catch and throw to end the game, sending St. John's to the winners' game tomorrow night.

NCAA.com's video highlights, below the fold.

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The baseball team is in Charlottesville, and you can follow via this live link to NCAA.org. Good luck to Joe Panik and the team.

Catch up with the preview of the Red Storm baseball team's tournament path and tourney draw.

Follow with the NCAA's interactive tourney bracket.

And vote for Joe Panik in the Golden Spikes Award ballot.

This is an open thread, so if you want to make comments, chat about the game, start things off, and others might just jump in with you (as they do for the basketball games). Good luck to the team in the Charlottesville regional.

Even with the loss to the Seton Hall Pirates in the Big East Tournament's championship game on Sunday, the Red Storm have made the NCAA tournament with an at-large bid. This is the 33rd appearance in the NCAA tournament for the Storm and their fourth trip in the past five years.

The Red Storm are the #3 seed in the Charlottesville Regional, hosted by national #1 seeded Virginia. The bracket also includes East Carolina - St. John's first opponent - and Navy.

St. John's was in the Charlottesville Regional last season in the NCAA tournament losing a heart breaker to Virginia, coming a game away from the Super Regional against Oklahoma.

The Johnnies take the field Friday June 3rd at 6pm against ECU, which can be seen on NCAA.com. Read up on the Red Storm's tourney draw and more, below.

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(via www.mallardsbaseball.com)

Junior shortstop and First Team All-Big East member Joe Panik has been selected as a semi-finalist and one of 30 amateur players who could win the USA Baseball Golden Spikes Award.

Awarded to the best player of the year, Panik is a leading candidate to win the award. Panik has a .402 batting average, tied first in the Big East conference, with 9 HR and 56 RBI. Panik leads the Red Storm in slugging percentage (.645) and on-base percentage (.513).

Panik also led the Red Storm during the Big East Tournament while batting .471 with two doubles, three RBI, four stolen bases and a .583 on-base percentage. Panik was named to the All-Tournament team for the second year in a row.

The Golden Spikes Award will be narrowed down to 3 players on Monday June 6th. The winner will be awarded live on MLB Network June 15th at 6pm. 

St. John's fans, vote for Panik at this link: http://web.goldenspikesaward.com/index.html. Click "2011 Award - Vote!" to, well, vote.