Monday, March 21, 2011

MACON, Ga. – Sean McClurken made life miserable for opposing pitchers atop the Kennesaw State lineup to earn his first Atlantic Sun Player of the Week award. USC Upstate’s Gaither Bumgardner recorded the program’s first complete-game shutout as a Division I school to win the Pitcher of the Week award, the conference announced on Monday.

PLAYER OF THE WEEK:
Sean McClurken, Kennesaw State (2B – Sr. – Camano Island, Wash. – Psychology)
• First A-Sun Player of the Week award
• As the leadoff hitter batted .526 (10-for-19)
• Scored seven runs while also knocking in four runs in five games
• Helped the Owls sweep Lipscomb and defeat Georgia
• Registered a hit and a run in five-straight games
• Notched a pair of three-hit games and a two-hit game
• Walked five times and posted a .625 on-base percentage

OTHER NOMINEES:
• Alex Bacon (OF, UNF) - Hit .444 with a .944 slugging percentage, scored eight runs
• Blake Green (OF, USC Upstate) - Hit .625, and posted a .714 on-base percentage
• Dan Gulbransen (OF, Jacksonville) - Hit .471 with a double, triple, home run and three RBI
• Kyle Holmstrom (IF, Campbell) - Batted .455 and clubbed his first home run
• Ryan Lashley (SS/1B, Stetson) - Had game-winning RBI on Saturday and Sunday vs Mercer
• Bo Reeder (3B, ETSU) - Hit .421 (8-for-19) with five home runs and 11 RBI
• Tim Roberson (3B/C, FGCU) – Extended hit streak to seven; recorded his 200th career hit
• Nate Woods (1B/DH, Belmont) - Led Belmont to a 4-1 week hitting .500 with five RBI

PITCHER OF THE WEEK:
Gaither Bumgardner, USC Upstate (SP – So. – Fort Lawn, S.C. – Physical Education)
• First A-Sun Pitcher of the Week award
• Recorded his first career win as he shut out UNF
• Struck out a career-best nine batters • Scattered seven hits as he threw 130 pitches
• Recorded the first complete-game shutout for the Spartans since 2007

OTHER NOMINEES:
• Bryan Blough (SP, Kennesaw State) - blanked Lipscomb for 8.2 innings; struck out 10
• Jason Forjet (SP, FGCU) – Shut out Campbell while striking out a career-high nine Camels
• Justice French (SP, Mercer) – allowed no runs on five hits against Stetson in 6.2 innings
• Jon Ivie (RP, Belmont) - allowed no runs in three appearances; recorded a win and a save
• Ryan Mattes (RP, Campbell) - in two relief appearances, did not allow a run in 5.2 innings
• Dak Rissman (RP, ETSU) - went 2-0 on the week, striking out seven in 5.2 innings
• Kurt Schluter (SP, Stetson) - struck out 10 batters and did not allow a walk vs Mercer
• Matt Tomshaw (SP, Jacksonville) - held ETSU offense to two runs over seven innings

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The Atlantic Sun Conference is an 11-member league committed to Building Winners for Life. The A-Sun stands for achievement with integrity in both the academic and athletic arenas, with a focus on the balance between the two for our student-athletes. Headquartered in Macon, Ga., the A-Sun boasts five of the top eight media markets in the Southeast. The A-Sun includes a blend of the most prestigious and dynamic private and public institutions in the region: Belmont University, Campbell University, East Tennessee State University, Florida Gulf Coast University, Jacksonville University, Kennesaw State University, Lipscomb University, Mercer University, University of North Florida, University of South Carolina Upstate and Stetson University.