Alex Bryant is one of eight seniors to be honored before Saturday's finale versus Rhode Island |
|
|
Niners to Honor Seniors Saturday
May 15, 2008
Charlotte, N.C. - Before Saturday's Atlantic 10 finale against Rhode Island, the Charlotte 49ers will honor their senior class of 2008. The four-year members of this class will leave Charlotte will the most wins of any senior class in the history of the program, at over 155, and is the first group to win 30 or more games in four straight years, 35 or more wins in the last three, and the chance to be the first team with back-to-back 40-plus win seasons all firsts for the program. They also landed in the national polls for the first time in school history and is also part of the first group of players to help the team GPA get above 3.0 collectively.
Alex Bryant is one of the top bunters and most selfless players on the team. He holds the school record for sacrifice bunts with 14 in one season and has the most of any current Niner with 23 in his career.
A career .991 fielding percentage makes Alex Burt one of the school's best fielders. He has managed to put together a career with slugging percentages near .400 and a batting average near 300 in his four years. He has also been on the Chancellor's List or Dean's List in every semester in school.
B.J. Hagen has logged big career wins over Wake Forest, Furman and Memphis, and saves against Indiana and Virginia Tech to name a few. He has played multiple roles of the tough starter and the steady reliever. He has nine career wins and four career saves.
Brad McElroy came in last year and netted a third-team All-America selection for Charlotte, leading the league in four offensive categories. He was also named to the All-South Region team and was All-Conference and All-Tournament in 2007. He has averaged more than a hit, a run and an RBI in his 106 career games played for the Niners. He sits in the top five in single-season doubles, RBI, total bases and will finish in the top three in all-time batting average.
|
|
 |
Shayne Moody played all but two games in two seasons and also has more hits than games played in two years. Able to make the hard play look easy and the impossible play a reality, he still maintained a 318 batting average with slugging and on-base percentages near 400. He was the Most Outstanding Player of the 2007 Atlantic 10 Tournament.
Luke Stahl has accepted a dual role of starter and reliever in his two years at Charlotte, bolstering a bullpen with the ability to get outs in key spots. He went 2-0 last year against ACC-foe Virginia Tech and secured conference wins this season at Temple and at Fordham. In nine of his career appearances he did not allow a run, and in five more he did not allow an earned run.
Chris Taylor has watched his batting average and power numbers go up in each of his four seasons. With over 202 career RBI, 64 doubles and 33 home runs, he could finish in the top three in those categories and in the top ten in runs scored. He is also third in multi-home run games, and hit a round-tripper in five straight games this season, also a school record. He was an All-Conference and All-Tournament team selection in 2007 and is on the watch list for the Johnny Bench Award, given to the nation's top catcher.
O'Brien Taylor came into this final week of the regular tied for third in the Atlantic 10 in batting at 378. He is just outside the Niners top 10 with more than 30 career stolen bases. His career slugging and on-base percentages are both over 400, causing teams to have to worry about his bat in the box and his speed on the bases.
This group will be vying for their second-straight NCAA Regional appearance, which would be another program first, by competing for back-to-back Atlantic 10 Tournament Championships next weekend in Camden, N.J. The tournament begins Wednesday, at Campbell's Field, home of the Camden Riversharks minor league franchise.
