LeBlanc Named National, SEC Pitcher of the Week
3/7/2005 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
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TUSCALOOSA, Ala. -- University of Alabama sophomore left-hander Wade LeBlanc has been named the Louisville Slugger National Player of the Week by Collegiate Baseball newspaper as well as the Southeastern Conference Pitcher of the Week following his 17-strikeout performance against McNeese State on Mar. 4.
LeBlanc worked 7 2/3 scoreless innings in the 4-0 win and held the Cowboys to just one hit en route to his second win of the 2005 season. LeBlanc also walked two batters the victory.
The 17 strikeouts fell one short of the Alabama single-game record of 18 held by Mike Innes against Stillman College on March 25, 1971.
At one point in the game, LeBlanc struck out 11 of 14 McNeese State hitters from the third through the seventh inning. He struck out three batters in the fifth and sixth innings as he posted a career-high for strikeouts.
LeBlanc and RHP Jordan Davis (1.1 IP, 1 K) closed out the game with 7 2/3 hitless innings and retired 21 of the last 23 McNeese State batters.
In his last two starts, LeBlanc has 30 strikeouts in 14 2/3 innings. He fanned 13 batters last weekend in a win over Duquesne.
LeBlanc, who hails from Lake Charles and originally signed with McNeese State, recorded his fifth shutout at Alabama and first of the 2005 season. He has three complete-game shutouts and two combined shutouts in his UA career.
For the season, LeBlanc is 2-1 in three starts with a 1.89 ERA. He has worked 19 innings and allowed six hits, five runs and four earned runs, with seven walks and 35 strikeouts.
In his two-year career with the Tide, LeBlanc is 10-5 (.667) in 18 career starts.
