March 10, 2008
PHILADELPHIA - La Salle University freshman pitcher Kevin Fuqua has been named the Atlantic 10 Conference's Rookie of the Week and Co-Pitcher of the Week for his three-hit complete game shutout performance against Cornell on Friday, which gave the Explorers their first win of the season.
On Tuesday, the Philadelphia Big 5 also voted Fuqua the Pitcher of the Week for the same effort.
In the 1-0 victory, Fuqua became the first freshman at La Salle to throw a complete game shutout since Joe Marykwas shut out Robert Morris in March 1985 and registered the first Explorers shutout since Dan Waters blanked Fordham on March 26, 2005.
The right hander faced 25 batters in the scheduled seven-inning game, allowing just three hits and one walk while striking out nine batters. Only once - in the second inning - did a Cornell base runner stand on third base.
That was in the second inning, when Cornell's Kaleb Hutchinson singled through the left side with one out. Brian Kaufman then drew the only walk of the game before Scott Hardinger flew out to center and Hutchinson tug up to put runners on the corners. However, Fuqua got Kyle Groth swinging to end the threat.
After Cornell's Domenic Di Ricco hit a one-out double in the top of the third - the only extra base hit allowed by Fuqua - he would retired 14 of the final 15 batters, six by strikeout and, at one point, 10 straight.
Fuqua becomes just the third La Salle pitcher to be named A-10 Rookie of the Week, as former Explorer Bryan Harvey was honored in March 2001, and Kenny Elkind took the honor in March 2005.
He is the first Explorer to garner both the Pitcher and Rookie honor in the same week and becomes just the third Explorer to be named Pitcher of the Week - as Gerard Breslin was the only one ever named twice (March 2004 and April 2007), and Eric Ruhland (March 2003) and John Polillo (March 1997) were each recognized once.
Fuqua shared the honor with Rhode Island's Brett Palanski, who allowed just two hits over seven innings in the Rams' 8-0 victory over Central Connecticut State. He issued just one walk and struck out three in the victory.
For the season, Fuqua (1-1) is leading the Explorers in ERA (3.18), innings pitched (17.0), strikeouts (17), and opponents batting average (.210). In his first collegiate start, he went 6.0 innings, allowing just one run, four hits and struck out five at Elon on Feb. 23.
