May 24, 2003

MASTNY NAMED MEDIA PITCHER OF THE YEAR; MITCHELL AND NORMAN RECEIVE ALL-CONFERENCE HONORS

SPARTANBURG, SC -- The Southern Conference Sports Media Association today named its all-conference baseball teams. The media selected Furman's Tom Mastny as its Pitcher of the Year as well as one of the first team pitchers. David Mitchell was named first team relief pitcher, while Derek Norman was named second team catcher.

Mastny, a senior right-hander, led the SoCon with a 1.17 earned run average while compiling a 10-2 record in the regular season. He also led the conference with 115.0 innings pitched and seven complete games while holding opponents to a .179 batting average. The Zionsville, Ind. native led Furman to its only victory in the 2003 Southern Conference Baseball Tournament, a 3-2 win over UNC Greensboro.

Mitchell, a freshman from Houston Texas, led the team in saves this year with seven, which tied the school record set by Rob Purvis in 2000. In the last week of the regular season he pitched up a win over #19 Clemson and a save over Georgia State and Charleston Southern.

Norman, a junior out of Knoxville, Tenn. batted .309 with four home runs and 36 RBI.

All three players received the same honors from the league's coaches.

During the 2003 season, the Paladins pulled out wins over Clemson, South Carolina, and N.C. State and finished the year with 32 victories, the mostever in school history.

The rest of the All-Southern Conference Media team follows:

Media First Team
P Tom Mastny, Furman
P Derrick Hawk, Western Carolina
Relief David Mitchell, Furman
C Matt Lauderdale, Coll of Charleston
1B Chip Cannon, The Citadel
2B Lee Curtis, Coll of Charleston
SS Andy Howdeshell, East Tennessee State
3B Chris Ard, The Citadel
OF Alan Beck, Western Carolina
OF Rod Goldston, Western Carolina
OF Brett Spivey, Coll of Charleston
DH Ryan Gordon, UNC Greensboro

Media Second Team
P Jarrett Santos, UNC Greensboro
P Ryan Basner, Western Carolina
Relief Matt Hamer, The Citadel
C Derek Norman, Furman
1B Todd Buchanan, Western Carolina
2B Jason Sarvis, UNC Greensboro
SS Wayne Kilmer, Western Carolina
3B Carlos Love, Georgia Southern
OF Brook Dantzler, The Citadel
OF Brendan Gilligan, Georgia Southern
OF Brian Casey, Wofford
DH Grant Burruss, Georgia Southern