The Tribune

By RENALDO DORSETT

Sports Reporter

rdorsett@tribunemedia.net

ON the mound and in the field, a pair of Bahamian baseball players are leading the way as their programme continues to garner national attention in the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics rankings.

Chad Burrows and Wade Weiburger of the Bryan College Lions are currently ranked No.20 in the latest edition of NAIA Baseball Coaches’ Top 25 poll.

Burrows, the senior closer, came in to close out the ninth inning in Bryan’s 5-0 shutout over the No.6 ranked Georgia Gwinnett College Grizzlies.

Burrows had one strikeout in the three batters he faced as the Lions improved to 25-12 on the year.

The Lions sent a new pitcher to the mound each inning and the strategy paid off as it led to just the second shutout loss for the Grizzlies all season.

After they took an early 1-0 lead, Weinburger sparked the offence in the third with a double that was just inches away from leaving the park for a home run before it fell back into play. Lake Burris would eventually plate Weinburger on a sacrifice fly for a 2-0 lead.

Weinburger scored one run, collected one RBI, and led the team in hits, finishing 3-of-5 with two doubles.

The Lions are at home this weekend with a three-game series against fellow Appalachian Athletic Conference rival, Union College. The teams face off today at 6pm and continue play the next day in doubleheader action starting at 1pm.

Weinburger, the freshman outfielder, is hitting .362 on the season, scored 47 runs, with 13 home runs, 40 RBI and eight stolen bases.

Burrows has been one of the most noteworthy seasons in the Appalachian Athletic Conference this season.

In his 16 appearances on the mound he has earned the win or save in 13 of them, going 6-0 with seven saves. Burrows has allowed a 1.23 ERA.

His 36 strikeouts are more than the amount of hits (14) and walks (18) he has surrended thus far. Opponents have just a .186 batting average against the 6-4” 250 pound right hander. Burrows has already earned Appalachian Athletic Conference Pitcher of the Week once this season after he recorded a win and two saves in 5 1/3 shutout innings against conference rivals Lindsey Wilson and Truett McConnell.

It is the highest win total of his career since he went 7-3 as a sophomore and his lowest ERA.