FROM CBB NEWS SOURCE
NEW ORLEANS – Middle Tennessee’s Rawley Bishop and Kenneth Roberts are the Sun Belt Conference Baseball Player and Pitcher of the Week, respectively, according to a vote by the league’s member institutions.
Bishop guided Middle Tennessee to a 2-1 record last week, including a pair of wins over league rival Western Kentucky University and a narrow 5-4, 11-inning loss to SEC member Tennessee. Bishop was particularly instrumental in the Blue Raiders’ victories over WKU, as the senior registered three-home runs in the second game of the series, ending the night going 4 for 5 with five RBI and scoring four runs. The win on Saturday not only tied the two squads in the conference standings, but gave MT the top-seed entering the upcoming league tournament. The Germantown, Tenn. native had a slugging percentage of 1.000 or better in all three games last week, and hit a solo home run in the bottom of the ninth against the Vols to tie the game at four and force extra innings.
Bishop, who was perfect from the field last week, paced the Blue Raiders on the defensive side of the plate as well. The veteran infielder had nine assists and helped MT turn three of its nine double plays.
Roberts picked up the win over Western Kentucky University in the first game of the series as he worked eight complete innings and did not allow a run until the Hilltoppers’ Wade Gaynor hit a solo home run to begin the ninth inning. Gaynor was the only batter Roberts faced in the ninth. Roberts allowed seven hits in the outing but just two were for extra bases as the tenacious Blue Raider defense helped him by turning five double plays.
