Monday, April 02, 2007

Macon, Ga. – The Atlantic Sun Conference office announced that Belmont senior Ben Petsch has been named the Player of the Week, and Stetson right-handed pitcher Corey Kluber has been named the Pitcher of the Week. This is the first weekly award won by Belmont this season. This is also Petsch’s first career player of the week award. This is the second pitcher of the week award won by Kluber in 2007.

Ben Petsch, Belmont (Sr. - C/1B/OF - Franklin, Tenn. - Marketing): Petsch led the team to a 3-1 record on the week, collecting seven hits, including three homeruns. He scored four times in the team's 20-2 win on Friday, and doubled and scored the winning run in the weekend finale against Gardner-Webb. The senior started games at catcher, first base, and left field. For the week, Petsch hit .412 (7-17) with 8 runs, 2 doubles, 3 homeruns and 8 RBI.

For the season, Petsch is batting .342 with 7 home runs and 23 RBI.

Corey Kluber, Stetson (Jr. - RHP - Coppell, Texas - Sports Management): Kluber tossed a complete game, 3-hit shutout Friday night at Kennesaw State to spark a series sweep. The Owls came into the match up ranked third in the A-Sun in runs scored and second in batting average. Kluber struck out 7 batters, allowing just three singles with two walks, and no Owl advanced past second base. The junior retired the first 12 batters he faced and 9 of his last 10. Kluber improved his Friday night record to 6-0, and the Hatters as a team are undefeated in his eight Friday starts.

For the season Kluber is 6-0 with a 2.04 ERA, 52 strikeouts in 53 innings pitched. He's allowed his opponents a .170 BAA, 31 hits and 15 walks.

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

Carlton Floyd, Campbell (So. - OF - Riegelwood, N.C. - Pre-Pharmacy)
The sophomore raised his average 25 points on the week, going 9-17 in the Camels' four games scoring 5 runs.

Steve Karwatt, Mercer (So. - 3B - Sarasota, Fla. - Economics)
Karwatt notched a walk-off, game-winning RBI in the 13th inning of Friday's game versus Jacksonville.

Jimmy Potucek, Jacksonville (Sr. - C - Miami, Fla. - Aviation)
Potucek batted 3-for-7 with two doubles, a home run and two RBI.

Brian Pruitt, Stetson (So. - OF - Miami, Fla. - Sports Management)
Led Hatters to a 3-1 week by batting .529 (9-for-17) with his first home run of the year and 5 RBI.

Anthony Russell, ETSU (Jr. - 1B - Waldorf, Md. - Business)
The junior hit .450 (9-for-20) for the week, pacing the Bucs to their third consecutive A-Sun series win.

T.J Thompson, UNF (Fr. - OF/INF - Jacksonville, Fla. - Business)
Thompson had a breakout day on Saturday against Lipscomb, going 4-for-7 with four RBI with a triple and a run scored.

Ryan Wilkins, Lipscomb (Fr. - 1B - Mt. Juliet, Tenn. - Undecided)
Went 4-10 against North Florida with 2 runs scored, 3 RBIs, 1 BB, and 1 home run.

Rex Brothers, Lipscomb (Fr. - LHP - Chapel Hill, Tenn. - Undecided)
Gave up just two runs against North Florida, both unearned. In eight innings he gave up six hits while striking out nine.

Matt Gardner, Jacksonville (Sr. - P - Livermore, Calif. - Sociology)
For the week, Gardner was 1-0 with one walk and two strikeouts in nine innings for his first career complete-game shutout.

Cory Gearrin, Mercer (Jr. - RHP - Dayton, Tenn. - Political Science)
Pitched 7 scoreless innings, striking out 11 batters. Earned the win with 5 scoreless against JU in Mercer's 13-inning victory.

Caleb Glafenhein, ETSU (Sr. - P - Knoxville, Tenn. - Finance)
The senior tossed his second consecutive complete game notching his conference leading ninth win of the season.

Kyle Heckathorn, KSU (Fr. - P - Ringgold, Ga. - Undecided)
He struck out a career-high 11 batters and walked just two, allowing seven hits in 7.1 innings pitched.

Brad Johnson, North Florida (Sr. - LHP - Tampa, Fla. - Civil Engineering)
Johnson led UNF to a 7-2 win over Lipscomb on Friday after striking out six in 7.1 innings and allowing two runs on seven hits.

Justin Lilly, Campbell (Jr. - RHP - Raleigh, N.C. - Business Administration)
Pitched 7.0 innings against ETSU, scattering eight hits and allowing two earned runs while striking out five.

Carlo Testa, Belmont (So. - LHP - Tallmadge, Ohio - Education)
In the rubber match against Gardner-Webb, Testa pitched 8.1 innings, holding the Bulldogs to just two runs.