Armstrong's Roberts and Malone; Lander's Thomas Named Players of the Week

Player of the Week

John Roberts, Armstrong
Sr. • C • Rincon, Ga.

Roberts hit .571 and slugged 1.071 in the Pirates' four wins on the week.  He hit a walk-off solo home run in the bottom of the 11th inning to beat Augusta State, 6-5, on Tuesday, his third career walk-off home run.  The junior then was 6-for-10 with a home run in the three-game sweep of No. 25 UNC Pembroke over the weekend.  He collected at least two hits in all four games of the week, scoring four runs and stealing a base.  He moved into 4th place on the Armstrong all-time career hit chart on the week and now has 260 hits in his career.

Pitcher of the Week

Chris Thomas, Lander
Jr. • RHP • Chester, S.C.

Thomas pitched eight innings of two-hit ball as he shutout Flagler in a win that clinched a PBC Tournament berth for the Bearcats.  The junior righty struck out six and walked two allowing only two baserunners to reach second base.  After allowing a one-out double in the fourth, he retired the next 14 Saints in a row before being taken out for the ninth inning as Lander had a 10-0 lead.  With his effort he cracked the PBC's top 10 in ERA and is also sixth in the league in strikeouts and 10th in wins.

Freshman of the Week

Chess Malone, Armstrong
Fr. • LHP • Bonaire, Ga.

Malone hurled 8 2/3 innings of three-hit ball, striking out six and not giving up an earned run in three Pirate wins this week. He pitched six innings of two-hit relief, striking out four, in the Pirates' 6-5 extra-inning win over Augusta State on Tuesday. He then hurled a scoreless ninth to save a 6-5 win over No. 25 UNC Pembroke on Saturday and entered the game with the bases loaded and one out in the eighth on Sunday, striking out back-to-back batters to get out of the jam, then pitched a scoreless ninth for the save in a 5-2 win over the Braves.

For a complete list of baseball weekly award winners, please click here.