TONY SANCHEZ NAMED GSC WEST DIVISION PLAYER OF THE WEEK

         BIRMINGHAM, Alabama – Arkansas Tech senior third baseman Tony Sanchez (Mesquite, Texas) capped his Wonder Boy career on Tuesday by being named the final GSC West Division Baseball Player of the Week for the 2009 season.

Sanchez earns his second career West Division Player of the Week honor after his strong performances last week in helping the Wonder Boys close the season with a 3-1 record after posting two wins against Harding and a non-conference victory over the University of the Ozarks.

This is the third time this season that the league has recognized a Wonder Boy as an honoree as sophomores Blaine Sims (Scott, Ark.) and Caleb Powers (Dover, Ark.) were named GSC West Division Pitchers of the Week on March 10 and March 31. Sanchez was also named the West Division Player of the Week on Feb. 19, 2008.

For the week, Sanchez, who turned in three multiple-hit efforts in the Wonder Boys series against Harding last weekend, hit .667 with eight hits in 12 at-bats and recorded a slugging percentage of 1.083 and an on-base percentage of .765. In addition, Sanchez scored two runs, drove in five runs and hit a home run against the GSC Tournament bound Bison. He also was walked five times for the week. Sanchez closed out his Tech career as the school’s career record holder in at-bats (712) and finished second in career hits (231), tied for second in career doubles (58), fourth in career RBIs (132), fifth in career runs scored (130) and total bases (322). Along with those records, Sanchez also shares a Tech and GSC record with his former teammate and current student assistant coach Jantzen Black. Both Black and Sanchez recorded 11 hits in 11 consecutive at-bats last season.

In addition to Sanchez, Southern Arkansas sophomore righthanded pitcher Hayden Simpson won his fourth GSC West Division Pitcher of the Week honor, while Valdosta State junior rightfielder Brandon Decker and Valdosta State senior lefthander Brandon Graves were named the GSC East Division Player and Pitcher of the Week respectively.

2009 Weekly Baseball Release

-- Tech Athletics --