Monday, April 23, 2007

Macon, Ga. - The Atlantic Sun Conference office announced that Belmont senior, Wilson Tucker, has been named the Player of the Week. Lipscomb right-handed pitcher, Rob Smithson, has been named Pitcher of the Week.

This is the first player of the week award won by Tucker in his career at Belmont. Rob Smithson joins teammates, Rex Brothers and Taylor Merry as pitcher of the week honorees. Lipscomb has won with the pitcher of the week award three weeks in a row.

Wilson Tucker, Belmont (Sr. - OF - Gallatin Tenn. - Business Administration): Tucker led the Bruins to a 5-2 record on the week with 10 RBI, nine runs, and 12 hits. Eight of his hits were for extra-bases, as Tucker extended his hitting streak to ten games. He walked three times and was hit by two pitches to record a .515 on-base percentage. Tucker scored at least one run in all seven games. He recorded four outfield assists from right field on the week.

For the week, Tucker hit.444 (12-27) with 3 doubles, 2 triples, 3 homeruns, 10 RBI, 9 Runs, 3 walks, 1 sacrifice fly and 4 assists (all from right field).

For the season, Tucker is hitting .399, which ranks second in the conference. He also has 8 home runs and 33 RBI.

Rob Smithson, Lipscomb (Sr. - RHP - Franklin, Tenn. - Engineering Mechanics): In the Bisons win against the number one ranked Vanderbilt Commodores, Smithson earned the win while allowing three runs on seven hits in seven innings, while striking out five. He also threw a perfect inning of relief in the Bisons loss against Campbell. Smithson helped snap Vanderbilt's 23-game non-conference winning streak. For the week, he pitched 8 innings, allowing 8 hits, 3 runs and striking out 5 batters.

For the season, Smithson is 5-3 with a 3.95 ERA and 55 strikeouts in 57 innings pitched.

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
Ben Allen, ETSU (So. - INF - Kingsport, Tenn. - Undecided)
Allen hit .500 on the week (5-for-10) with two runs scored, a double, a home run and three RBI.

Justin Bass (Jr. - 1B/OF - DeLand, Fla. - Sports Management)
Continued his hot hitting by batting .500 (8-for-16) with a HR, 5 RBI and 6 runs scored in four games.

Casey Bond, Lipscomb, Stetson (Sr. - CF - Peachtree City, Ga. -Management)
For the week Bond was 7-13 with 3 runs scored and 2 RBIs.

Tyler Brown, Mercer (Jr. - DH - Monroe, Ga. - Communications)
Brown led the Bears in their series-opening win at UNF going 3-for-4 with a career-high four RBIs, two runs scored and a two-run homer.

Jimmy Glanville, UNF (Sr. - 1B - Jacksonville, Fla. - Public Relations)
Glanville blasted a career-high two home runs on Sunday to lead UNF to an 8-2 win over Mercer.

Chuck Opachich, Jacksonville (Fr. - 3B - Jacksonville, Fla. - Business)
Finished a career-high 5-for-5 with a run and an RBI as the Dolphins opened the weekend with a 7-6 win over Stetson.

Antonio Franzese, North Florida (So. - RHP - Hilliard, Fla. - Building Construction)
Franzese took a one-hitter going into the seventh inning against perennial national powerhouse Miami in the Ospreys 3-2 win.

Caleb Glafenhein, ETSU (Sr. - P - Knoxville, Tenn. - Finance)
The right-hander struck out three and threw 142 pitches for a complete game, helping end the Bucs' six-game slide.

Blake Herring, Campbell (Sr. - RHP - Snow Hill, N.C. - Physical Education)
Pitched seven strong innings in Saturday's second game with Lipscomb, striking out five batters in route to the win.

Charles Lee, Belmont (Sr. - P - Brentwood, Tenn. - Accounting)
Lee shut down ETSU in the series opener on Friday, striking out nine batters and allowing just five hits over 8.1 innings of work.

Brantley New, Mercer (Sr. - RHP - Dublin, Ga. - Business Management)
Pitched a seven inning complete game shutout against North Florida, striking out five Ospreys.

Adam Rapoza, Jacksonville (Jr. - Reliever - Green Cove Springs, Fla. - Exercise Science)
Rapoza did his part to set the Dolphins by hurling a career-high 5.1 innings on scoreless relief in game three on April 22 against Stetson.