Brent Carter Named National Player of the Week
4/28/2003 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
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Carter is the Crimson Tide's first national award winner this season and the fourth UA player to be named "Player of the Week" this season. Allen Ponder (RHP) was named the SEC "PItcher of the Week" on Feb. 17, while Beau Hearod (OF) and Allen Rice (2B) were named SEC "Player of the Week" on March 10th and 17th respectively.
Carter was not named SEC "Pitcher of the Week" as that honor went to Ole Miss freshman Stephen Head, who threw a two-hit shutout against South Carolina on Sunday.
Brent Carter recorded a career-high 14 strikeouts in leading the Crimson Tide to a 10-2 series-opening win over the No. 15 Arkansas Razorbacks on Friday, April 25 at Sewell-Thomas Stadium.
"Carter did an outstanding job," Alabama head coach Jim Wells said. "He has pitched very well the last three weeks, but Friday night was one of his better games."
The left-hander limited the Razorbacks to two runs and seven hits en route to his SEC-leading fourth complete game of the 2003 season.
The win was Carter’s third straight win for Alabama and his team-leading seventh of the 2003 season.
After allowing a one-out bunt single and double in the first inning, Carter escaped without further damage and then proceeded to retire the next 14 Arkansas batters in order before Scott Hode’s lead off single in the sixth inning.
He shutout the Hogs through six innings before allowing a leadoff home to Ryan Fox in the seventh inning after UA had built a 10-0 lead. Arkansas scored one more run in the eighth inning and had runners at second and third with no outs, before Carter retired the next three hitters, including
two strikeouts.
Carter struck out the side in the ninth inning as he ended the game with five consecutive strikeouts. He also struck out the side in the fourth inning and had five strikeouts in six batters in the third and fourth innings.
Carter’s 14 strikeouts are the most by an SEC pitcher this season. The previous high was 12 strikeouts by four different hurlers.
Carter’s performance set the tone for the weekend as UA starters worked into the eighth inning in all three games. For the weekend, Alabama pitchers recorded 32 strikeouts against the Razorbacks.
For the season, Carter has compiled a 7-4 record and 3.51 ERA in 14 appearances (11 starts). Carter has worked a team-high 82 innings and allowed 32 earned runs and 75 hits. Carter also has the Tide’s best strikeout to walk ratio, recording 69 strikeouts and only 11 walks. He leads the team and SEC with four CGs.
