McKenna, Blackburn Earn Player of the Week Honors After Dominant Opening Week

By Ellie Rand

The opening week of the 2026 Cal Ripken Sr. Collegiate Baseball League featured numerous standout performances, but none were more impressive than Gaithersburg Giants shortstop Cole McKenna (Undecided) and Metro South County Braves right-handed pitcher Tommy Blackburn (Christopher Newport).

McKenna was named the league’s Hitter of the Week while Blackburn earned Pitcher of the Week honors.

McKenna Sparks Giants' Offense

McKenna reached base at nearly every opportunity and created havoc once he got there. 

The shortstop finished the week hitting .524 (11-for-21), leading the league with 15 total bases while scoring 11 runs in just five games. He also added four RBIs, a home run, and four stolen bases.

McKenna’s week began with a two-hit performance against the Olney Cropdusters on June 2. The leadoff hitter reached base three times and scored twice, including setting up the Giants’ first run of the season after a first-inning single and wild pitch to advance into scoring position. McKenna later crossed the plate again in the second inning as Gaithersburg built an early lead en route to an 8-6 victory.

The following night against the Silver Spring-Takoma Thunderbolts, McKenna showcased his plate discipline despite not recording a hit. The Jersey native drew two walks, was hit by two pitches, drove in a run during the Giants’ pivotal six-run sixth inning, and scored three times as Gaithersburg erased a 7-4 deficit before pulling away for an explosive 20-8 victory.

His consistency continued on June 4 against the Bethesda Big Train. McKenna notched a hit, drove in a run, and scored as the Giants secured a key 5-3 win over one of the league’s perennial contenders.

On June 5, squaring up against the Alexandria Aces, McKenna collected three hits in five plate appearances. However, his signature performance came Sunday in a 14-5 win over Olney.

McKenna erupted for a perfect five-for-five afternoon, finishing a triple shy of the cycle. After opening the game with a first-inning single and scoring on an RBI hit from Ayden Phillips (Jacksonville), he delivered the biggest swing of the day in the second inning, launching a deep two-run homer to extend the Giants’ lead.

McKenna later doubled down the left-field line and scored on a sacrifice fly before adding two more singles and crossing the plate twice more. By the end of the evening, he had accumulated five hits, two RBIs, a home run, a double, and four runs while reaching base in every plate appearance.

Beyond the numbers, McKenna’s ability to manufacture runs separates him from the rest of the league. He consistently puts himself and his teammates in scoring position and capitalizes, establishing himself as a major offensive threat early in the season.

Blackburn Dominates on the Mound

Blackburn proved himself to be one of the league’s toughest pitchers in his first two CRSCBL appearances.

The CNU right-hander made two starts for the Braves and delivered a dominant eight innings of work, posting a 1.13 earned run average and a 1.00 WHIP while striking out a league-leading eight batters.

Opposing hitters managed just six hits against Blackburn and hit only .200 during the week.

His first outing came June 2 against the Aces. After allowing a leadoff walk and a single in the opening frame, Blackburn settled in and retired nine of the final 11 hitters he faced.

The only second-inning-run he allowed came on a triple and a passed ball. Blackburn limited the damage, however, and finished his four-inning outing with four strikeouts while stranding three runners in scoring position.

One of his biggest moments came in the fourth inning. After Alexandria put a runner on third with one out, Blackburn took charge, striking out two hitters in consecutive at-bats to cap off his debut.

Five days later, Blackburn drew another start against the Aces and dominated once again. With Aces’ runners on first and second and two outs in the opening inning, Blackburn forced a ground out to end the frame. He then held the Aces scoreless, allowing just one hit over the next three innings while striking out three batters.

Throughout the week, the Chesapeake, Virginia native issued only two walks across eight innings and consistently worked ahead in counts, forcing hitters into uncomfortable at-bats. He threw 81 strikes on 125 pitches, a testament to his high quality pitching and ability to finish hitters.