April 28, 2009
ORLANDO, Fla. (UCFAthletics.com) - A day after being selected as a Collegiate Baseball Newspaper Louisville Slugger National Player of the Week, UCF's Shane Brown (Winter Park, Fla.) picked up yet another major award. The junior second baseman earned the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association Pro-Line Athletic National Hitter of the Week honor the NCBWA announced Tuesday.
Along with the two national accolades, Brown received his first Conference USA Hitter of the Week selection as well on Monday. Matt Horwath was the last Knight to earn a national weekly award when he was given the nod by the NCBWA during the 2007 campaign.
Brown shared the Pro-Line Athletic National Hitter of the Week award with South Dakota State's Jesse Sawyer, who helped his team to seven wins in eight games with a .500 average, 19 runs, 15 RBI and nine homers.
The week for Brown all started in a 13-12 come-from-behind win over Stetson April 21. Four games later and he went 13-for-18 with a .722 batting average, 1.333 slugging percentage, .783 on-base percentage, 2.116 OPS, 10 runs, five doubles and two homers.
But the incredible stat occurred when Brown tied an NCAA record by reaching base 18-straight times. Here's how it happened:
Vs. Stetson - April 21 - UCF won 13-12
Seventh Inning - 2B
Eighth - 2B
At UAB - April 24 - UCF won 29-9
First - HBP
Third - HR
Fourth - 2B
Fifth - 2B
Sixth - 1B
Seventh - BB
Eighth - 1B
Ninth - HBP
At UAB - April 25 - UCF lost 12-8
First - HBP
Third - 1B
Fifth - BB
Sixth - FC
Eighth - 1B
At UAB - April 26 - UCF won 12-6
First - HR
Third - 2B
Fifth - 1B
Brown got on base 17 of 18 times in the three-game UAB series, going 11-for-13 with a .846 average against the Blazers, while posting a 1.538 slugging, .889 on-base, and 2.427 OPS. For the season, Brown owns a team-high .380 batting average with 15 doubles, six homers, 37 RBI, 32 runs and 13 HBP.
The 18-consecutive times on board tied Cal State Northridge's Shaun Larkin who accomplished the feat in 2002. Larkin actually broke the record held by UCF's Odie Koehnke, who reached on 17-straight occasions in 1985.
Brown and the Knights resume their non-conference slate with a meeting at home vs. USF Tuesday at 6:30 p.m.
Baseball flex pack voucher packages as well as single game tickets are on sale for the 2009 campaign. Call the UCF Ticket Office at (407) 823-1000 for more information. Fans may also visit UCFAthletics.com - the official site for UCF varsity sports. The site contains ticket and Golden Knights Club donor information, and is the home of UCF's online apparel store. Also visit UCFPhotos.com, the exclusive fan source for UCF action sports pictures.