(Posted April 28, 2003)

Huntingdon, PA - For the third time this season, the Juniata College baseball team has had a player chosen as the Commonwealth Conference player, or pitcher of the week. On this occasion, junior centerfielder Kodi Hockenberry (Red Land/Lewisberry) earned the honor for his play in seven games for the Eagles last week.

Hockenberry led the Eagles with a .429 batting average during the week. He was tops on the squad with nine hits and ten total bases while driving in five runs and scoring five times. He drew a pair of walks, which earned him a .500 on-base percentage, meaning that he reached base safely half the times he came to the plate. Hockenberry saved his best for last as he went 6-for-9 in a three-game weekend series with defending conference champion Lebanon Valley. In the first game of the series, he went 2-for-4 with a pair of runs scored to help the Eagles earn a 9-7 win, then he closed the week with a 3-for-3 two-run, two-RBI performance in helping Juniata to a 8-7 win to close the series.

Hockenberry is enjoying his finest season on College Hill in his junior campaign. Through 19 games he led the regulars in both batting average with a .391 mark, and in on-base percentage. He ranks second on the team in hits, runs scored and stolen bases, while his 17 runs batted in leave him fourth on the Eagle charts. Hockenberry's hits, runs and RBI totals are all career highs, and his batting average of .391 is 160 points higher than his previous career best.

With Hockenberry playing a key role, Juniata has ventured on a late-season push for the play-offs. After falling in four straight games half way through the year, Juniata responded by winning five straight, including a three-game sweep of Lebanon Valley. Those wins left the Eagles with a mark of 14-15 overall and 7-9 in the Commonwealth Conference through April 21, and in a three-way tie for the final Commonwealth Conference play-off spot.

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Contact April Feagley at feaglea@juniata.edu or (814) 641-3131 for more information.