FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Gary Holden, Sports Info. Director
(540) 365-4306

April 14, 2004


Ferrum Players, Coach Earn USA South Baseball Honors 
Taylor, Naff Earn Top Awards
 
Ferrum, Va. -- The Ferrum College baseball team had five players named to the 2004 USA South Athletic Conference Baseball All-Conference Team.  Additionally, the Panther baseball squad earned two of the league's top five awards.

          2004 USA South Baseball All-Conference Team

Freshman Curtis Taylor (Glen Allen, Va./Hermitage), pictured above right, has been named USA South Baseball Rookie Pitcher of the Year.  Taylor is 6-2 with a 3.25 ERA, and 60 strikeouts in 52.2 innings of work.  Taylor earned Rookie of the Week honors on February 27th, March 9th, and March 15th.

Head Coach Abe Naff, pictured above left, has been named USA South Baseball Coach of the Year for the second consecutive season.  This is his fourth Coach of the Year honor in his 19-year career at the helm of the Panther baseball program.  Naff guided the Panthers to a 24-8 overall record, including a 16-5 mark in the USA South.  Ferrum won the regular season league title this year, the third straight title for the Panthers, and the school's seventh conference baseball title.
 
Senior catcher Kevin Griffin (Roanoke, Va./Cave Spring), senior DH Thomas Meeks (Rocky Mount, Va./Franklin County), and sophomore utility player Jesse Bowles (Boones Mill, Va./Franklin County) have been named to the All-Conference first team.  Griffin is batting .361 with six doubles, three triples, eight home runs, and 27 RBI this season.  Meeks is batting .320 with seven doubles, eight homers, and 30 RBI.  Bowles is batting .2170 with two doubles and 15 RBI.

Senior pitcher Carlos Sanchez (Stanleytown, Va./Bassett) and senior outfielder Brandon Hale (Coeburn, Va./Coeburn) have been named to the All-Conference second team.  Sanchez is 7-2 with a 3.82 ERA and 54 strikeouts in 66 innings of work on the mound.  Hale is batting .363 with 11 doubles, four homers, and 28 RBI this season.

Ferrum is the top seed at this week's 2004 USA South Baseball Tournament, being co-hosted by the city of Danville, Virginia, and Averett University.  The Panthers play #8 seed Shenandoah University today at 10 a.m.  For more information, please contact the Ferrum College Sports Information Office at (540) 365-4306.
 
 
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