Monday, February 26, 2007

Macon, Ga. – The Atlantic Sun Conference office announced that Kennesaw State outfielder, Adam Cross, has been named the Player of the Week, and Mercer right-handed pitcher, Justin Boyette, has been named the Pitcher of the Week.

This is the first Player of the Week award given to a Kennesaw State baseball player as a member of the A-Sun. This is the second Pitcher of the Week award won by a Mercer student-athlete this season. Mercer relief pitcher, Cory Gearrin, has also win the award.

Adam Cross, Kennesaw State (Sr. – OF/DH – Chickamauga, Ga. – Biology Major): Cross had a great week for the Owls as he helped KSU to a 3-1 record for the week with wins over Georgia Southern and OVC favorite Samford. In the Owls' opener against Samford, the senior went 2-for-5 with a homer, and followed that performance by going 5-for-5 with a RBI in KSU's 18-0 win on Saturday. Cross closed out the series by hitting a two-run homer to help the Owls to a 14-12 series clinching win. For the week, the Chickamauga, Ga. native hit safely in all four games and recorded an outstanding .950 slugging percentage, a .500 batting average (10-for-20), 2 home runs, 3 doubles, 5 RBI and a .565 On-Base Pct.

Justin Boyette, Mercer (So. - RHP – Beaumont, Texas - Communications Major): Boyette earned his first win as a Bear with a complete-game, six-hitter in Sunday's win over FAMU. He allowed only one unearned run and struck out six while walking one batter. For the week Boyette was 1-0 in 12.0 IP, allowing 2 runs (1 earned) and 9 hits. He struck out 10 batters and only walked 2.

In 2006, Cross started in 20 games for the Owls and appeared in 30. He hit .241 (19-for-79) with three doubles and one home run. His best series was against East Tennessee State on April 7 and 8, where he went 5-for-12 with three RBI, and two extra base hits.

Justin Boyette came to Mercer University from Okaloosa-Walton Community College. Okaloosa Walton is a powerhouse program in the Panhandle Conference, widely considered one of the top conferences in the country. During Boyette's career with the Raiders, he posted an ERA of 2.46.

The Atlantic Sun Conference hands out Player and Pitcher of the Week awards weekly during the 2007 baseball season.

The 12-member league headquartered in Macon, Ga., consists of Belmont, Campbell, ETSU, Gardner-Webb, Jacksonville, Kennesaw State, Lipscomb, Mercer, UNF and Stetson with Florida Gulf Coast and USC Upstate beginning competition in 2007-08.

Other Top Performers
Matt Reynolds, Belmont (Sr. – SS – Hendersonville, Tenn. – Accounting Major)
Keyed Belmont's offensive surge from the leadoff position, collecting multiple hits in each of the team's three wins.

Caleb Joseph, Lipscomb (So. – C/3B – Franklin, Tenn. – Marketing Major)
Went 7-13 with four RBIs. Against Vandy he was 3-5, with all four RBI's occurring in that game.

Josh Drewery, GWU (So. – SS – Lawndale, N.C. – Undeclared Major)
3 games: .375 BA (3-8), 5-5 stolen bases, 4 walks, .583 on base percentage, 1.083 OPS, 3 runs scored, 2B, 2 RBI.

Jon Dandridge, UNF (Sr. – OF – Jacksonville, Fla. – Finance Major)
In three games last week against Towson, Dandridge hit .545 (6-for-11) with a home run, three RBIs, four runs scored and a double.

Pete Clifford, Jacksonville (Sr. – OF – Jacksonville, Fla. – Business Major)
For the week, Clifford went 6-for-12 (.500) with a double, a home run, four RBI, a .833 slugging percentage and a .571 on-base percentage.

Ben Campbell, Gardner-Webb (So. – LHP – Greer, S.C. – Undeclared Major)
5.0 innings in a no-decision vs. UNC Asheville and did not allow an ER. 5.0 inn. for a win vs. Canisius on Saturday allowing just one run.

Micah Sales, Kennesaw State (So. – SP – Danielsville, Ga. – Exercise and Health Science Major)
Sales recorded a win in his only appearance for the week by throwing 5.0 shutout innings in KSU's 18-0 blanking of Sanford on Saturday.

Brandon McClurg, Lipscomb (So. – RHP – Hendersonville, Tenn. – Mechanical Engineering Major)
In eight innings against Pittsburgh he gave up two earned runs.

Caleb Glafenhein, ETSU (Sr. – RHP – Knoxville, Tenn. – Finance Major)
Glafenhein went 2-0 on the week, throwing 13 innings and appearing in three of the Bucs’ four games.

Quinn LeSage, Campbell (Sr. – RHP – Helena, Mont. – Electronic Media Major)
Battled through 6.1 innings Friday against Charlotte, by striking out five and giving up one ER in his tough luck, 1-0 loss to the 49ers.

Justin Dechert, Stetson (Fr. – RHP – Boynton Beach, Fla. – Sports Management Major)
Won first career start Tues night vs. Bethune-Cookman with 5.1 scoreless innings. Scattered six hits with no walks and three strikeouts.