Jacksonville Sweeps Player and Pitcher of the Year Honors
Date Posted: 5/23/2006
MACON, Ga. – Daniel Murphy claimed the A-Sun’s highest baseball honor as the junior was named Player of the Year as the league’s postseason awards were announced on Tuesday afternoon.
Left-handed pitcher Matt Dobbins earned Pitcher of the Year accolades while JU skipper Terry Alexander won his first A-Sun Coach of the Year award. Belmont’s Derek Wiley clubbed a Bruins rookie record 14 homers on his way to receiving Freshman of the Year honors. Murphy ranked third in the A-Sun with his .389 batting average and led the Dolphins with 53 RBI. Dobbins is tied for the national lead with his 12 wins on the mound.
Outfielder Pete Clifford (.328/5/38) joined Murphy and Dobbins to give Jacksonville a trio of players on the first team All-Atlantic Sun team. No. 2 seed Mercer added three players on the first team as well with their dangerous mound duo of starter Brantley New (8-3, 3.58) and Andrew Urena (4-1, 1.22, 15 svs) comprising half of the first team’s pitchers while sophomore Mike Armstrong (.365/9/28) was tabbed as the designated hitter.
Regular season runner-up North Florida placed RHP Brad Johnson (9-1, 2.65) and shortstop Matt Oxendine (.320/6/26) on the team. Belmont was the only other team to land a pair of first team honors as second baseman Aaron Lautman (.344/1/16) and the school’s single season hits record holder Wilson Tucker (.388/10/53) received the nod. Rounding out the All-Atlantic Sun first team were Gardner-Webb catcher Blake Lalli (.389/11/39), FAU outfielder Jordan Hafer (.341/9/33) and Stetson first baseman Chris Johnson (373/11/61).
The 2006 A-Sun Championship presented by Progress Energy begins with No. 1 Jacksonville facing No. 6 Campbell at 11:00 am on Wednesday morning in DeLand, Fla.
