Sunday, May 06, 2007

Macon, Ga. - The Atlantic Sun Conference office announced that Jacksonville senior, Pete Clifford, has been named the Player of the Week. Kennesaw State sophomore right-handed pitcher, Bubba Blalock, has been named Pitcher of the Week.

This is the third player of the week award won by Clifford this season. This is also the third weekly award won by a Kennesaw State student-athlete in 2007. It is the first pitcher of the week award given to an Owls pitcher since becoming a member of the Atlantic Sun.

Pete Clifford, Jacksonville (Sr. - OF - Jacksonville, Fla. - Business): Clifford has gone off the charts in the last week as the senior is gearing for the final games of his Dolphin career. Against Bethune-Cookman, he went 3-for-4 with a double and a home run. After driving in a run with a base hit in game one against UNF, he followed that effort with a three-run homer in game two. In JU winner on Sunday, Clifford went 3-for-5 with a home run and three RBI.

For the week, Clifford batted .500 (8-for-16) with a double, three home runs, eight RBI, 18 total bases, 1.125 slugging percentage and a .500 on-base percentage. For the season, Clifford is hitting .365 with a career-high 10 home runs, 51 RBI and 17 stolen bases.

Bubba Blalock (So. - RHP - Fort Valley, Ga. - Chemistry): The Owls right-hander threw a four-hit, complete game shutout over Lipscomb to set the tone for the Owls three-game sweep of the Bisons. Blalock walked just one batter while striking out six. In his 128-pitch effort, he allowed only two runners past second base. Blalock threw the Owls first complete game of the season and KSU's first in 69 games. It was also the first KSU complete-game shutout since April 8, 2006 when Dan Dale blanked ETSU.

For the season, Blalock is 2-5 with a 4.15 ERA and 38 strikeouts in 43.1 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

Matt Dallas, KSU (Sr. - 3B - Conyers, Ga. - Sports Management)
The senior third baseman has a six-game hitting streak after going 4-for-11 with three RBI and a run scored.

Shane Jordan, Stetson (Sr. - OF - Sarasota, Fla. - Management)
Batted .375 during Stetson's 4-0 week while moving into second place on the Hatters - and the A-Sun's- all time hit list with 314 career hits.

Travis Martin, UNF (Jr. - DH - Jacksonville, Fla. -Education)
Martin went 5-for-10 and helped lead UNF to a series win over Jacksonville over the weekend.

Derek Bell, UNF (Sr. - RHP - Jupter, Fla. - Communications)
Bell had a no-hitter through four innings and held Jacksonville to one hit through five in leading UNF to an 8-5 win.

Justin Dechert, Stetson (Fr. - RHP - Boynton Beach, Fla. - Sports Management)
Bookended a 4-0 week for the Hatters with a win in a Wednesday night start at UCF and a three-inning save on Sunday vs. ETSU.