FROM CONFERENCE USA RELEASE
Preseason Conference USA Pitcher of the Year Todd McInnis was in mid-season form on opening day, carrying a no-hitter into the fifth inning for Southern Miss to earn the first Pitcher of the Week honors of the 2010 season. UCF sophomore C Beau Taylor was productive at the plate all weekend long in a three-game sweep of Savannah State to earn Hitter of the Week recognition.
McInnis, a native of Brandon, Miss., showed why he received all of the preseason accolades in the season opener vs. Northwestern State on February 19. The junior right-hander threw six innings before he reached his pitch limit of 75 and allowed only one hit, a seeing-eye single through the right-side of the infield with two-outs in the fifth. McInnis struck out nine and did not allow a walk to pick up his first win of the season. This is the second career Pitcher of the Week award for the 2009 C-USA Pitcher of the Year.
Taylor, a native of Rockledge, Fla., opened his season by going 8-for-12 at the plate for a .667 average, along with notching five runs, five RBI and two homers. He also threw out two runners on the basepaths and recorded a sac bunt. On opening day, Taylor finished 2-for-3 with an RBI in a 7-2 win, which set up a career-day in game two. He lit up Savannah State for a personal-best five hits and four runs, while also connecting for a home run and three RBI to lead the way in a 14-4 victory. Taylor then played a huge role in the final game, where he tied it up at 6-6 with a solo homer with two outs in the eighth inning, as the Knights went on to score two more runs in the frame to clinch the series sweep vs. the Tigers. This is the first weekly award for Taylor, an All-Freshman team choice in 2009.
