Gardner-Webb's Rizzuto Named Second-Team All-Atlantic Sun Conference
May 22, 2007 | Baseball
DELAND, Fla. – Gardner-Webb sophomore second baseman Matt
Rizzuto was named second-team All-Atlantic Sun Conference Tuesday
afternoon.
Arguably the most complete second baseman in the league, Rizzuto
batted a career-high .298 with eight home runs, eight doubles, four
triples and 40 RBI. He also stole a career-high 10 bases during the
regular season, and his home run and RBI totals easily topped any
of the league's other second basemen.
"We are pleased with Matt's selection to the All-Conference team,"
said head coach Rusty Stroupe. "He has been putting up numbers
worthy of this honor all season, and has come up with some very big
hits. Defensively, he's about as solid as anyone we've had at the
position, and is a great representative of Gardner-Webb
University."
The former Wilmington Hoggard (N.C.) High standout is the first
Bulldog infielder to earn All-Conference honors since third baseman
Blake Lalli earned first-team All-Atlantic Sun in 2005 – after
leading the nation with 30 doubles.
The 5-foot-7, 170-pounder's current home run total is tied for the
top mark by a GWU second baseman since the school began play in the
Atlantic Sun, as former Bulldog Clint Abernathy also had eight in
2003.
Rizzuto and his Diamond ‘Dogs (25-30) will duel with No. 2
seed Mercer in the 2007 Progress Energy A-Sun Tournament's first
round on Wednesday at 11 am ET at Melching Field in Deland.
Gardner-Webb enters the postseason event as one of the league's
hottest teams, having won 11 of its last 14 games – and last
four A-Sun series.
