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 Sophomore Chris Masters was named the Southern Conference Pitcher of the Week today by the conference office. |
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March 31, 2008
Cullowhee, N.C. - Western Carolina sophomore left-hander Chris Masters was today named the Southern Conference's Baseball Pitcher of the Week after earning two wins and a save in five relief appearances for the Catamounts. The award is the first for WCU this season, while also marking the second weekly honor in Masters' career.
Masters tossed 7.1 innings of one-hit baseball during the week, posting no earned run average. He pitched around four walks - all coming in his longest outing of the week when he threw five innings to win Sunday's rubber match over UNC Greensboro - with six strikeouts, three of which came on Sunday. The one hit the second-year leftie allowed was to the first batter he faced, working the remainder of the week hitless.
The Marietta, Ga., native earned his first win of the season last Tuesday after going an inning and a third against East Tennessee State and was the pitcher of record when senior Jason Haynes - who was a candidate for SoCon Player of the Week - belted a two-run, walk-off home run in the ninth in the 12-11 win over the Bucs. The next night, he garnered his second save of the year by facing one Bulldog batter in the ninth as Haynes ended the game with a double-play as WCU defeated UNC Asheville, 12-10, at McCormick Field.
Masters saw action in two games against UNC Greensboro last weekend, tossing a third of an inning in Saturday's loss before going a season-high five innings of hitless, scoreless relief to even his seasonal record and to lift Western to the series win over the Spartans.
Masters has lowered his ERA to a team-leading 3.90 in a team-high 12 appearances. He has thrown 30 innings this season with one start, striking out a team-best 29.
Western Carolina returns to non-conference action on Tuesday, April 1 as it visits Gardner-Webb for a 3:00 pm contest in Boiling Springs. Due to facility limitations, there will be no radio coverage of Tuesday's game - however, every attempt will be made to provide live GameTracker through the WCU athletics web site, CatamountSports.com. WCU returns home to face UNC Asheville on Wednesday night at Childress Field / Hennon Stadium at 7:00 pm.
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