May 18, 2004

Cullowhee, N.C. - Heading into the final week of regular-season, Western Carolina junior first baseman Jared Greenwood ranks sixth in the NCAA in home runs (0.38 per game), 23rd in slugging percentage (.721) and 43rd in runs batted in (1.16 per game). In addition, Greenwood leads the Southern Conference in total home runs with 19, while ranking second in total RBI (58), second in slugging percentage and fifth in walks (34).

Greenwood (Franklin, N.C.) came to Western this season after spending two years at South Carolina, making two College World Series appearances with the Gamecocks. With 19 home runs this season, Greenwood ranks eighth on the WCU single-season list. With one more home run this season, Greenwood will tie for eighth on the SoCon single-season list, be the first SoCon player to hit 20 in a season since Steve Harris tied the league record with 26 in 1999 and be just the 12th player in SoCon history and eighth in WCU history to hit 20.

If Greenwood remains atop the SoCon list for home runs, Western will have had the league's home run champion in each of the last three seasons and a total of 14 times over the last 17 years.

In addition to Greenwood ranking among the SoCon leaders, Todd Roper ranks sixth in runs scored (54) and Denver Edick ranks third in doubles (17), while Chris Davis and Brian Sigmon are tied for fourth in doubles with each hitting 16.

Western Carolina will play its final home game of the season on Wednesday (May 19), when the Catamounts host Gardner-Webb at 7 pm. Western will conclude the regular-season with a three-game series at Appalachian State this weekend. The teams will play a doubleheader on Saturday (May 22), with the first game set to start at Noon, and a single game on Sunday, with a 1 pm start time.

NCAA Division I Baseball Statistics
Home Runs Per Game
Through Games 05/16/2004
Minimum 15 Games Played

Rank Name, Team                      G   HR  AVG.
   1 Billy Becher, New Mexico St.    54  24  0.44
   2 Mike Ferris, Miami (Ohio)       49  21  0.43
   3 P.J. Hiser, Pittsburgh          47  20  0.43
   4 Chris Rahl, William & Mary      49  20  0.41
   5 Trevor Lawhorn, East Caro.      51  20  0.39
   6 Jared Greenwood, Western Caro.  50  19  0.38
     Mike Costanzo, Coastal Caro.    50  19  0.38
   8 Ryan Jones, East Caro.          48  18  0.38
     Drew Moffitt, Wichita St.       48  18  0.38
  10 Ryan Frith, Southern Miss.      52  19  0.37

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