Cooke Named Big South Baseball Player of the Week
May 11, 2009 | Baseball
CHARLOTTE,
N.C. – Gardner-Webb outfielder Daniel Cooke was named Choice
Hotels Big South Conference Player of the Week Monday by the league
office. The Charlotte, N.C., native (Indepencence HS) was red hot
in Gardner-Webb's series win over High Point, belting home runs in
each of the team's two wins and batting a strong .462 (6-for-13)
with six RBI, a double and a triple in the weekend's three games
overall. Cooke slugged 1.154 for the series, and was at his best in
the clutch. In Sunday's series clincher, Cooke put GWU up 6-0 in
the fourth inning with a two-run single to left and – after
High Point had seized momentum in cutting that lead to 6-5 in the
sixth, Cooke stepped to the plate with two outs in the bottom half
of that same inning and hammered a first-pitch, two-run home run to
left center for an 8-5 cushion and momentum for the home team. He
had an RBI triple in the series opener Friday, and went 2-for-3
with a home run, two walks and a pair of runs scored in Saturday's
10-3 win. He scored five runs overall for the week. On Sunday,
Cooke surpassed the 250-hit plateau, becoming the first known
two-sport athlete in NCAA Division I history to accumulate 250
tackles in football (282), 250 hits in baseball (251), 150 runs
scored in baseball (169) and 75 stolen bases (92). Cooke ranks
first in Gardner-Webb career history in stolen bases, runs scored
and at bats, and ranks in the top-5 in school history in RBI and
hits. On the gridiron, Cooke was a four-time All-Big South
Conference selection at safety, finishing ranked 16th in school
history with his 282 career tackles (fourth among defensive backs
all-time). Cooke also had 21 career pass break ups and eight
interceptions in 44 career starts for the football Bulldogs. Cooke
has started 247 intercollegiate contests combined in the two
sports. This season, Cooke is batting a career-high .366 with 55
runs scored, seven home runs, 12 doubles, 42 runs batted in and 24
stolen bases for Gardner-Webb (24-22, 12-12 Big South).
Gardner-Webb is back in action on Thursday night at Winthrop. First
pitch is set for 6 pm ET in Rock Hill, S.C.
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