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BSB: WHAT’S BRUIN - Bruins Close NWC Play with Critical Series vs. Archrival Linfield
* Upcoming Games
- Sat., Apr. 24, 12:00 pm - vs. Linfield College (2), Newberg, Ore.
- Sun., Apr. 25, 1:00 pm - vs. Linfield College, Newberg, Ore.
NEWBERG, Ore. - Closing out their Northwest Conference schedule this weekend, the George Fox University Bruins host their Yamhill County arch-rivals, the Linfield College Wildcats, in a three-game series Saturday-Sunday that will play a critical role in determining both teams’ post-season playoff chances - So, what else is new?
In the 10 seasons in which the NWC champion has been eligible for the NCAA Division III National Tournament, the Bruins and Wildcats have won or shared the conference title 10 times and made a combined 11 post-season appearances. In the last four years, the Pacific Lutheran University Lutes have emerged as another top contender for the crown, and this year the three teams are again locked in a down-to-the-wire dogfight for the NWC’s automatic bid to the playoffs.
Entering the last two weeks of the conference season, PLU (27-7, NWC 15-3) stands in first, with George Fox (23-11, NWC 16-5) half a game back and Linfield (24-10, NWC 14-4) one game out, though Linfield’s conference percentage is better than George Fox’s. PLU hosts Lewis & Clark College for three this weekend, then Linfield hosts PLU for three next weekend. Any number of 1-2-3 scenarios are possible, including a three-way tie for first if George Fox were to take two of three from Linfield and then Linfield swept PLU.
The Bruins and Wildcats will play a doubleheader Saturday starting at 12:00 noon, and conclude with a single game Sunday at 1:00 p.m., the final home game of the season when 10 seniors will be honored. Live stats will be provided for all three games, and campus station KFOX radio will webcast the games as well.
Links for the live stats and and radio:
Live Stats: http://webservices.georgefox.edu/athletics/livestats/baseball/xlive.htm
KFOX Radio: http://www.georgefox.edu/offices/asc/kfoxradio/
Projected starting pitchers for the Bruins this weekend include RHP Mark Putney (6-3, 3.30, 54 K’s, 62.2 ip), RHP Jeremy Cheney (3-2, 5.19, 42 K’s, 52.0 ip), and RHP Brian Ranta (4-2, 4.21, 35 K’s, 57.2 ip). RHP Chad Jones (3-2, 4 saves, 2.83, 37 K’s, 35.0 ip) gives the Bruins an all-star closer.
Probable hurlers for the Wildcats are RHP Ryan Larson (7-3, 2.58, 45 K’s, 76.2 ip), RHP Garrett Dorn (6-2, 4.71, 42 K’s, 63.0 ip), and RHP Reese McCulley (2-2, 3.34, 23 K’s, 32.1 ip).
BRUIN BITS:
* Anderson, Jones Get Honorable Mention for NWC Weekly Honors
Clutch hitting by first baseman Seth Anderson and a pressure-packed pitching performance by closer Chad Jones have earned the pair honorable mention for the Northwest Conference Baseball Offensive/Fielding and Pitching Student-Athlete of the Week awards respectively for games of Apr. 12-18.
Anderson, a senior from Boise, Idaho,began the week with a 1-4 game in a 6-3 loss at Corban on Apr. 14. In a 7-1 first-game win at Lewis & Clark on Apr. 17, he was 1-4 with a run scored, then went 1-4 with a three-run home run in the 5th that tied the second game 8-8, and also scored another run after being hit by a pitch. In the Bruins’ 5-2 14-inning win over the Pioneers in the final game of the series on Apr. 18, he was 3-5 with an RBI single in the 2nd and a lead-off double and a run scored in the 14th that ignited the winning rally. For the week, he batted .353 (6-17) with a double, a home run, a .588 slugging pct., 4 runs scored and 4 RBIs. He also handled 52 chances (51 putouts, 1 assist) in the field flawlessly.
Jones, a senior from McMinnville, Ore., pitched one scoreless, hitless inning in relief, striking out one, in the Bruins’ 6-3 loss at Corban on Apr. 14, then entered the Apr. 18 game at Lewis & Clark in the 7th inning of a 2-2 tie game. He pitched 7.1 innings of shutout ball, getting out of a bases-loaded one-out jam in the 8th, to pick up the win when the Bruins scored three times in the 14th inning for a 5-2 victory. He scattered 7 hits and struck out 6. Fro the week, he worked 8.1 innings, allowing 7 hits and no runs while striking out 7 and walking 4.
* 2010 Honors
Sam Stahl ---
- Northwest Conference Offensive Student-Athlete of the Week - Feb. 8-14 (HM); Feb. 15-21 (HM); Mar. 29-Apr. 4 (HM)
Chad Jones ---
- Northwest Conference Pitching Student-Athlete of the Week - Feb. 8-14 (HM); Feb. 15-21 (HM); Mar. 29-Apr. 4 (HM); Apr. 12-18 (HM)
Josh Burch ---
- Northwest Conference Offensive Student-Athlete of the Week - Feb. 22-28 (HM); Mar. 22-28
Clay Gartner ---
- Northwest Conference Pitching Student-Athlete of the Week - Feb. 22-28 (HM)
Nate Hickok ---
- Northwest Conference Offensive Student-Athlete of the Week - Mar. 1-7 (HM)
Jeremy Cheney ---
- Northwest Conference Pitching Student-Athlete of the Week - Mar. 1-7 (HM); Mar. 8-14 (HM)
Jason Brown ---
- Bruin Athletic Association Men’s Athlete of the Week - Mar. 8-14
- Northwest Conference Offensive Student-Athlete of the Week - Mar. 8-14
- NCBWA NCAA Division III National Hitter of the Week - Mar. 8-14 (HM)
Brian Ranta ---
- Bruin Athletic Association Men’s Athlete of the Week - Mar. 15-21
- Northwest Conference Pitching Student-Athlete of the Week - Mar. 15-21
Brent Trask ---
- Bruin Athletic Association Men’s Athlete of the Week - Apr. 5-11
- Northwest Conference Offensive Student-Athlete of the Week - Mar. 15-21 (HM); Apr. 5-11 (HM)
Mark Putney ---
- Northwest Conference Pitching Student-Athlete of the Week - Mar. 22-28 (HM); Apr. 5-11 (HM)
Seth Anderson ---
- Northwest Conference Offensive Student-Athlete of the Week - Apr. 12-18 (HM)
NCAA Stats (thru 4/18): Six Bruins Ranked in National Top 50 in 11 Categories
In the latest NCAA Division III national team statistics, George Fox is 4th in sacrifice bunts (39), 10th in hit by pitches (60), 13th in walks allowed per 9 innings (2.87), 19th in runs (301), 24th in hits (398), 25th in doubles (82), 25th in double plays (31), 40th in earned run average (4.21), 43rd in doubles per game (2.41), 46th in walks (143) …
In the latest NCAA Division III national individual statistics, Sam Stahl is 8th in hits (63), 16th in doubles (16), 47th in doubles per game (0.48) … Nate Hickok is 34th in sacrifice bunts (6), 49th in walks (24) … Eric Gantenbein is 17th in sacrifice bunts (7), 33rd in sacrifice bunts per game (0.21) … Josh Burch is 9th in sacrifice flies (6) … Mark Putney is 28th in wins (6), 38th in strikeouts (54) … Chad Jones is 27th in saves (4) …
NWC Stats - Team (thru 4/18): Bruins Hurlers Lead League in Strikeouts, Fewest Walks
- Batting: George Fox is 1st in hit by pitches (60), sacrifice bunts (39), 2nd in runs (301), total at bats (1,527), at bats (1,270), 3rd in batting avg. (.313), on base pct. (.404), hits (398), RBIs (266), total bases (543), 4th in doubles (82), walks (143), sacrifice flies (15, T), 5th in strikeouts (166), 6th in stolen bases (37), 7th in slugging pct. (.428), triples (3), home runs (19) …
- Pitching: George Fox is 1st in innings (307.2), strikeouts (236), saves (9), pickoffs (12), fewest walks (98), 3rd in ERA (4.21), opponents’ batting avg. (.278), wins (23), balks (7, T), 8th in hit batters (30), 9th in wild pitches (15) …
- Fielding: George Fox is 1st in chances (1,400), putouts (923), assists (420), 2nd in double plays (31), caught stealing (16, T), 4th in fielding avg. (.959), errors (57), 9th in passed balls (1) …
NWC Stats - Batting (thru 4/18): Stahl in At Bats, Burch in Sac Flies Lead League
- SS Sam Stahl is 1st in at bats (164), 2nd in hits (63), doubles (16), plate appearances (175, T), 5th in total bases (87, T), 7th in runs (37), RBIs (37, T) …
- C Brent Trask is 6th in slugging pct. (.659), 9th in home runs (6, T) …
- DH Jason Brown is 7th in hit by pitches (8, T), …
- CF Nate Hickok is 3rd in walks (24), sacrifices (6, T), 7th in hit by pitches (8, T), 8th in on base pct. (.488) …
- 2B Josh Burch is 1st in sacrifice flies (6, T), 4th in hit by pitches (9, T), 7th in walks (19, T) …
- 3B Eric Gantenbein is 2nd in sacrifices (7) …
- RF Dan Winterstein is 8th in sacrifices (5, T), 9th in stolen bases (10), plate appearances (80, T), 10th in walks (18, T), plate appearances (157, T) …
- 1B Seth Anderson is 10th in at bats (136, T) …
NWC Stats - Pitching (thru 4/18): Putney Climbs to 2nd in NWC in Strikeouts, ERA
- RHP Mark Putney is 2nd in strikeouts (54), starts (10, T), 3rd in ERA (3.30), wins (6, T), 4th in opponents’ batting avg. (.263), 5th in innings (62.2), pickoffs (2, T) …
- RHP Jeremy Cheney is 3rd in pickoffs, (3, T), 6th in strikeouts (42, T), 7th in starts (9, T), 9th in ERA (5.19), 10th in opponents’ batting avg. (.286), wild pitches (5, T) …
- RHP Brian Ranta is 1st in pickoffs (4), 4th in balks (2, T), 6th in ERA (4.21), 8th in opponents’ batting avg. (.274), 9th in innings (57.2), wins (4, T), 10th in strikeouts (35) …
- RHP Chad Jones is 1st in saves (4), games finished (13), balks (4), 3rd in appearances (16, T), 9th in strikeouts (37) …
- RHP Adam Weber is 4th in saves (2, T), 7th in appearances (13, T), 6th in games finished (4, T) …
- RHP Travis Schroeder is 1st in appearances (17, T), 6th in games finished (7) …
NWC Stats - Fielding (thru 4/18): Anderson NWC Leader in Chances, Putouts
- 1B Seth Anderson is 1st in chances (355), putouts (342), 2nd in double plays (22, T) …
- SS Sam Stahl is 1st in assists (112), 8th in double plays (18) …
- C Brent Trask is 4th in caught stealing (8, T) …
* Career Lists: Jones Becomes All-Time Leader in GFU Saves vs. Puget Sound
- Chad Jones: With a save in the Bruins’ 6-5 win over Puget Sound on Apr. 10, Jones notched his 11th career save, setting a new career record. He broke a tie with southpaw Nick Hedgecock (10, 2005-08) …
* Head Coach Marty Hunter
Marty Hunter (Linfield ’84) is 87-36 (.707, 39-13 home, 42-16 road, 6-7 neutral) to date in his 3rd season as the George Fox head coach … He was the Northwest Conference Co-Coach of the Year in 2009 … He has guided the Bruins to two post-season appearances in his two seasons at GFU … Against Linfield, he is 6-2 (3-1 home, 3-1 road) …
