Though he’s been a part of the last two weeks’ recognition, Sean Albury ends the regular season with his first individual Player of the Week nomination.
And though the Nassau, Bahamas, native’s streak of scoreless innings finally came to an end Sunday against the Carolina Stingers, his 17 consecutive goose eggs still makes him arguably the best reliever in the league.
Prior to Sunday’s outing, Albury threw 4 2-3 more scoreless innings this week, striking out nine and recording two saves. In Saturday’s Game 2 against the Spartanburg Blue Eagles, Albury relieved Aaron Dorriety in the seventh inning to perform for a scout in attendance at Cardinal Park. He faced two batters and threw six pitches — all strikes — fanning both opponents and recording the save.
Congratulations to Sean Albury, the final Tornado Player of the Week for the 2009 regular season.
Head Coach Phil Al-Mateen recently described pitching as “the heart and soul of this ball club.” Truer words couldn’t characterize last week’s road trip against the other two contending teams in the SCBL, the Morganton Aggies and Lake Norman Copperheads, as Tennessee’s pitchers seized the opportunity to toss the Tornado into first place in time to clinch home-field advantage for the postseason.
Last Wednesday at Morganton, Kyle Bolton pitched five innings of four-hit ball, allowing two runs and striking out seven on his way to the win. Jake Peeling and Sean Albury each pitched two innings after that without sacrificing a single hit, both striking out 10 batters on the way to the 7-2 victory.
Two days later at Lake Norman, Austin Bridgewater melted the Copperhead offense with six innings of work without an earned run, striking out six along the way. Jason Trivette then entered for the save as the Tornado won 1-0, halfway to the sweep they needed to retake first place. In Game 2, Todd Caldwell held off Lake Norman for three runs on six hits, and from there the bullpen stole the show. Frank Newcomb put in a scoreless inning to put himself on record for a possible win, and Albury cinched it up for him with another two-inning, five-strikeout performance to earn the save.
Congratulations to the Tornado pitching staff on their collective nomination as the Players of the Week!
Two Tornado pitchers stood out repeatedly during Tennessee’s homestand last week.
Sean Albury packed a punch in the late-relief spot as he pitched against the Carolina Chaos, Lake Norman Copperheads and Spartanburg Blue Eagles to devastating effect. Overall, Albury tossed five-and-two-thirds innings during the week without allowing a single earned run on only two hits while striking out 10. On Monday against the Chaos he worked two-and-two-thirds innings of one-hit ball with four strikeouts, Friday against the Copperheads he struck out three in two innings of work, and Saturday on the way to sweeping the Blue Eagles he struck out the side in one inning out of the pen.
Jason Trivette, the back end of this one-two punch, picked up two saves this week in three innings of scoreless work, averaging a strikeout per inning and allowing just one hit. In a non-save situation Wednesday against the Morganton Aggies, Trivette pitched a scoreless ninth inning. Against the Copperheads and Blue Eagles, he picked up his two saves without allowing a hit and striking out three. Trivette goes into this week with eight saves, the most in the league by far.
Comprising most of the bullpen’s hungry work lately, these two tally together almost nine innings of work last week without allowing a run on just three hits with 13 strikeouts between them.
Congratulations to these two staples of the Tornado bullpen, Sean Albury and Jason Trivette, the Players of the Week.
Despite a rocky road for the Tornado last week, returning from their tour of Lake Norman, Spartanburg, Fort Mill and Asheville at 3-4 and out of first place, Sam Eberle continued to produce with runners on base, earning Player of the Week honors.
The Chattanooga, Tenn., native and Jacksonville State University junior hit home runs against the Stingers and Redbirds, putting himself atop the SCBL in the long-ball category. Along with his two home runs, Eberle drove in a total of six runs and scored four times. Against Spartanburg, he went 3-4 at the plate with two RBIs and a run scored.
Congratulations to Sam Eberle, the Tornado Player of the Week!
With Delywnn Patterson on the disabled list and new players on order this week, the Tornado needed another to step up and do something special. That player was Michael Hartley. Starting with his 3 RBIs and game-winning 2-run single Monday against Lake Norman, Hartley went 5-9 this week with 9 RBIs including 6 in the double-header against Asheville.
Most remarkable is that Hartley performed so well as the only available catcher on staff this week, as Topher Ellis filled in for the injured Patterson in the middle infield, while second baseman Julian McWilliams and catcher Dru Jones hadn’t arrived yet.
Congratulations to Michael Hartley, this week’s Tornado Player of the Week!
Despite injuring his knee in Morganton, Delwynn Patterson heads to the disabled list as the Tornado’s player of the week.
Springing into action as the new starting shortstop replacing recent Chicago Cubs recruit D.J. Fitzgerald, Patterson went 5-8 in last Friday’s double-header against the Carolina Chaos including a 3-4 performance in Game 2 with 3 RBIs, including the game-winning 2-run single in the bottom of the seventh inning.
After dislocating his knee Saturday, Patterson begins rehabilitation today. According to Head Coach Phil Al-Mateen, he may return for the end of the regular season and the postseason.
Austin Bridgewater earns an honorable mention and a nomination toward the SCBL’s Player of the Week award along with Patterson. He’s now 2-0 in 11 innings of work, and has yet to surrender an earned run. He’s only allowed 6 hits while striking out 11, and opposing hitters fare just .150 against him.
In Game 1 against the Carolina Chaos last Friday, Bridgewater tossed 6 innings allowing only 2 hits and a single unearned run while striking out 5. At one point he set down 11 consecutive Chaos.
Congratulations to Delwynn Patterson and Austin Bridgewater, this week’s Tornado Players of the Week!
After a week of play in the SCBL, the Tennessee Tornado honor their first Player of the Week, Jay Davis.
In his first week in a Tornado uniform, Davis went 7-19 at the plate (.368) with two doubles, two home runs, four runs scored and a team-best 15 RBIs, 13 of which came on Opening Day against the Carolina Stingers. In the second game of that double-header, Davis hit both his home runs and one double, driving in seven runs. Additionally, he’s slugged .789 in the first week. In left field for the Tornado, Davis has yet to commit an error and he recorded one outfield assist.
Davis, a redshirt freshman at Jacksonville State University, hails from Northport, Ala. Congratulations to Jay Davis, this week’s Tornado Player of the Week!
Thanks for the Radio Broadcasts. As Jay Davis’ Grand Parents, we have greatly enjoyed them.
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