Date Posted: 5/1/2006

MACON, Ga. – Campbell’s Quinn LeSage claimed Pitcher of the Week honors while Jacksonville’s Gordie Gronkowski and Gardner-Webb’s Jeremy McCann shared the Player of the Week nod as the Atlantic Sun Conference distributed its weekly baseball honors.

LeSage threw seven scoreless innings to record the win in the Camels' series clinching win over the then league-leading Mercer Bears. The Helena, Mont., native scattered five hits and allowed no runs to a Bears team that was averaging over seven runs per contest and was batting .329 in Atlantic Sun games entering the weekend. LeSage struck out six batters, including striking out the side in the second inning, as he held down one of the best batting teams in the Atlantic Sun. The lanky right-hander did the bulk of the work for a Campbell pitching staff that did not allow an earned run in a game for the first time all year. Of the five hits, LeSage allowed only one (a double) was for extra bases. Over the seven innings he pitched, the junior allowed only one runner to advance past second base. With the win LeSage tied the team lead with his fourth win of the season. He is majoring in Electronic Media.

McCann took it upon himself to lift Gardner-Webb into the thick of the A-Sun Tournament picture last week, and also helped the ‘Dogs to a 4-1 week in the process. The big slugger collected a league-best 12 hits (12-for-18) to bat .667 with a 1.111 slugging percentage, a .708 on base percentage, three doubles, a triple, a home run, eight runs scored and nine RBI – raising his batting average on the season by nearly 40 points in five games. In the series win at Lipscomb, McCann batted a strong .600 (6-for-10), including a game-clinching effort in the opener. The senior first baseman drilled a triple in the top of the ninth to score the Bulldogs’ tying run from first base, and dashed home for the eventual winning run on a squeeze bunt on batter later to lift GWU to an 8-7 comeback win. He was hit and drew a walk to go 1-for-2 with two runs scored in the Bulldogs’ 8-6 win in the second contest, and went 2-for-4 with another RBI in a narrow 5-4 loss in the finale. McCann’s efforts lifted GWU back above .500 on the season overall (22-21). The Callahan, Fla., native majors in Health & Wellness.

Gronkowski was a major catalyst in the Dolphins’ offensive attack as JU moved into first place in the A-Sun standings and recorded its first sweep of Florida Atlantic since 1994, last weekend at FAU Field. In the first game, Gronkowski went 4-for-4 with a double, a home run and four RBI, while also reaching base twice due to being hit by a pitch, to lead the Dolphins to a 14-7 win. In the night cap of the doubleheader, the senior finished 1-for-4 with two walks to help the squad to an 8-7 win. In the finale, he went 1-for-2 with an RBI single, while also being walked four times. For the week, he batted .600 (6-10) with a double, a home run, five RBI and a 1.000 slugging percentage. Along with his six hits, he also reached base in 14-of-18 at-bats due to six walks (two intentional) and two hit by pitches to have a .750 on-base percentage. He currently leads the Dolphins with 102 total bases, eight home runs and a .573 slugging percentage and a .469 on-base percentage, while also ranking second in batting average (.371), hits (66) and doubles (12). The Buffalo, N.Y., native is majoring in Business.

The Atlantic Sun Conference hands out Player of the Week and Pitcher of the Week awards weekly during the 2006 baseball campaign.

The 11-member league headquartered in Macon, Ga., consists of Belmont, Campbell, ETSU, Florida Atlantic, Gardner-Webb, Jacksonville, Kennesaw State, Lipscomb, Mercer, North Florida and Stetson.

OTHER TOP PERFORMERS
• Matt Oxendine, UNF (Sr. – SS – Wellington, Fla. – Sports Management & Leadership Major)
Hit .429 with a pair of HR’s in series win at Belmont

• Mike Priest, Campbell (Sr. – 1B – Vernon Hills, Va. – Biology Major)
Collected his 200th career hit to move to 9th in school history in career hits

• Michael Bohana, Kennesaw State (So. – RHP – Roswell, Ga. – Sports Management Major)
Picked up saves in both Owls victories last week without allowing a run

• Ryan Mitchell, Lipscomb (Sr. – 1B – Andalusia, Ala. – Biology Major)
Pounded out 11 hits in 16 at-bats including four multi-hit games