Date Posted: 4/23/2007

This Week in A-Sun Baseball

Click Here for Printable Version

Matchup of the Week

April 27-29
Belmont at Lipscomb
Jacksonville, Fla.

The Battle of the Boulevard comes a week after both teams were honored in with player and pitcher of the week awards. Belmont enters the series winners of 5 of their past 6 games. They are currently tied for second place in the conference with ETSU. Lipscomb enters the week in fourth place. The Bisons have won 10 of 12 and had won 7 games in a row before dropping the series finale to Campbell. The Lipscomb pitching staff has not allowed more than 3 runs in their past 5 games. This matchup will prove to be important as postioning for tournament seeds begins.

A-Sun Player of the Week
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.

A-Sun Pitcher of the Week
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.

Stetson Remains in Rankings
The Stetson University baseball team remained in the Top 25 of four major polls released Monday afternoon. The 32-11 Hatters took two of three at Jacksonville over the weekend to cement their ranking among the nation’s best teams. Rivals.com rated Stetson most favorably at No. 20. Ping! Baseball rated the Hatters No. 21, while the USA Today/Coaches Poll and Collegiate Baseball Newspaper ranked Stetson at No. 24. The Hatters unofficial RPI rankings also continued to stack up well with the rest of the country. WarrenNolan.com lists Stetson’s RPI at 20th in the nation. The same web site also noted Stetson holds the 17th best winning percentage overall (.744). Additionally, the Hatters have allowed just 4.0 runs per game, the 18th best mark in the NCAA.

Nation's Best Fall to A-Sun Teams
The Campbell Fighting Camels stunned the No. 2 ranked North Carolina Tar Heels 7-5 in eleven innings in Chapel Hill N.C. on Tuesday night. The Lipscomb Bisons were also in an upset mood. Lipscomb beat No. 1 ranked Vanderbilt 5-3 at Dugan Field in Nashville, Tenn. The Tar Heels were ranked No. 2 by Collegiate Baseball Newspaper, Baseball America and the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association. Vanderbilt was ranked No. 1 by Baseball America, the NCBWA, and in the Coaches Top 25 Poll.

The Lipscomb Pitcher of the Week Award
The Bisons pitching staff is taking turns dominating on the mound. Rex Brothers and Taylor Merry were named the A-Sun Pitcher of the Week the past two weeks. Rob Smithson wanted to get in on the POTW party as well. Smithson turned in seven quality innings in the Bisons victory over No. 1 ranked Vanderbilt to earn Lipscomb's third consecutive pitcher of the week honor.

A-Sun Standings

A-Sun Players of the Week

Click Here for Current POTW Release

League Leaders

Team-by-Team Notes

2007 ATLANTIC SUN CHAMPIONSHIP PRESENTED BY PROGRESS ENERGY
Melching Field at Conrad Park: One of the most picturesque, fan-friendly stadiums in the nation, Melching Field at Conrad Park will host the Atlantic Sun Championship for the sixth consecutive season. At a cost of $4.5 million, Melching Field was the result of a joint effort between Stetson University, DeLand Sports Redevelopment Association and the City of DeLand. Built on the same site as old Conrad Park, Melching Field opened on Feb. 12, 1999 as the Hatters defeated Louisville 4-3 before an overflow crowd of 2,874 fans.

Click here for more information on the 2007 Atlantic Sun Championship Presented by Progress Energy