The University of Alabama at Birmingham Athletics
Digger Towe Takes C-USA Hitter Of The Week Award
3/16/2009 12:00:00β―AM | Baseball
March 16, 2009
IRVING, Texas -- Coming off an outstanding offensive performance, UAB junior catcher Digger Towe has been named the Conference USA Hitter of the Week, as announced Monday morning by the league office.
Towe managed multiple hits and multiple RBI in five of UAB's six games last week as he helped the Blazers post a perfect 6-0 record. The Charlotte, Mich. native hit .571 (12-for-21) on the week with a .600 on-base percentage while striking out just once in 25 plate appearances.
After tallying eight RBI in a two-game midweek series against UT Martin, Towe continued his hot streak with eight more RBI in four games over the weekend against Harvard. He also scored 10 runs for the week to have his hand in 26 of UAB's 79 runs as a team. Towe posted a 1.095 slugging percentage over the six games as seven of his 12 hits went for extra bases on five doubles and two home runs.
Towe has started 11 games this season behind the plate or in the designated hitter spot in the UAB lineup. The redshirt junior missed almost the entire 2008 season due to injury but has bounced back this year to hit .372 so far with three home runs and a team-best 22 RBI.
"I'm so happy for Digger," UAB head coach Brian Shoop said. "He really went though a tough time. He had eight anchors put in his shoulder after labrum surgery, and he has spent countless hours in rehab. It's still a painful injury and still an injury he has to rehab regularly. I'm thrilled for him to start to reach some rewards for all the effort and time he has put in."
The award is the first for Towe as a Blazer and the first for UAB this season. The last time a UAB player earned player of the week recognition from C-USA was May 18, 2008, when Ryan Keedy was named the co-hitter of the week and Kyle Roberson was selected as the pitcher of the week.
UAB (10-6) is off until Wednesday when the Blazers travel to Mississippi State. First pitch is set for 6:30 p.m. CT in Starkville, Miss.
