May 12, 2008

After helping their teams to important sweeps in conference play this past weekend, Rice junior Of Aaron Luna and Tulane junior RHP Shooter Hunt have been named the C-USA Baseball Players of the Week. Luna is the Hitter of the Week and was named Silver Glove Series MVP after leading Rice to a three-game sweep over cross-town rival Houston. Hunt earned the Pitcher of the Week nod after setting the tone for Tulane's sweep at No. 21 East Carolina with a strong Friday night performance on the mound.

Luna was the Owls' offensive leader last week to help the team go undefeated in five games and clinch the C-USA regular season championship. Luna batted a composite .429, collecting nine hits in 21 at bats with two home runs and two doubles for a team-leading .810 slugging percentage. For the week, he led the team in RBI (11), scored five runs and stole a base. Luna also drew two walks and was twice hit by a pitch for a .520 on-base percentage. Luna was named the most outstanding player of the Silver Glove Trophy Series and went 8-for-13 with two doubles, two home runs and 10 RBI in the three wins over Houston.

Hunt struck out nine and allowed just one run while scattering five hits and three walks en route to improving to 9-1 on the year in Friday's 5-4 series-opening victory at East Carolina. He did not allow more than one base runner in any of his seven-plus innings - giving up a two-out triple in the first, one-out singles in the second and fourth innings, a leadoff single in the fifth, and single walks in fifth, sixth and seventh innings. The only runners to advance 90 feet on any occasion came in the third and seventh when ECU DH Kyle Roller and RF Jamie Ray stole second in the third and seventh innings, respectively. Hunt held the Pirates to an 0-for-15 showing with runners on base. He also became the fourth Tulane hurler in as many years to post 100 strikeouts in a single season and now has 105 Ks in 2008. This is the third Pitcher of the Week honor this season for Hunt.