Gartner Garners BAA Weekly Award with Win over NAIA Power Lewis-Clark State

NEWBERG, Ore. - With a 5-3 win over the Lewis-Clark State College Warriors, freshman right-hander Clay Gartner has earned George Fox University’s Bruin Athletic Association Men’s Athlete of the Week award for games of May 2-8, his first time this season to receive the honor.

Gartner, who hails from Clovis, Calif., improved his season record to 3-4 with his win over the powerful Warriors, who are ranked No. 12 in the NAIA.  He scattered eight hits over 8.1 innings with no walks and no strikeouts before Carl Mason finished up for his first save of the season.  He was helped by three infield double plays, and escaped his biggest jam in the eighth when, after two batters had singled to start the inning, he induced three straight fly ball outs to leave both runners aboard.  In the Bruins’ 11-3 win over Concordia-Portland on Monday, Gartner also worked a scoreless inning, giving him a 0.96 earned run average for the week.   

Gartner is now 6-4 in his career, having posted a 3-0 record early last season before an arm injury forced him to the sidelines and he secured a medical hardship year from the NCAA.  He finished this season with a 3.99 ERA, making 12 appearances with nine starts as the No. 2 man in the Bruins’ rotation.  In 65.1 innings, he struck out 33 and walked only 19 while allowing opponents a .283 batting average. 

This is Gartner’s first time to win the BAA weekly award.  Earlier this season, he was honorable mention for the Northwest Conference Pitching Student-Athlete of the Week award, for the week of April 4-10.

The Athlete of the Week Award for both men and women is presented throughout the Bruin sports seasons by the Bruin Athletic Association, whose mission is to provide George Fox student-athletes with an outstanding athletic and academic experience and to strengthen the overall competitiveness of the Bruin athletics program.  For more information about the organization or to become a member, visit the Bruin Athletic Association website.