April 3, 2012

OXFORD, Miss. - Sophomore right-hander Bobby Wahl has been named the national Pitcher of the Week by the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association (NCBWA), the organization announced on Tuesday.

Founded in 1962, the NCBWA is dedicated to the advancement of college baseball. Membership is open to writers, broadcasters and publicists of the sport.

Wahl helped the Rebels claim a series win over top-ranked Florida this past weekend with both his arm and his feet, picking up the Friday win on the mound before scoring the game-winning run on Sunday in the bottom of the ninth as a pinch runner.

The Springfield, Va., native took the mound for the Rebels on Friday night and worked 8.0 scoreless innings while holding the Gators to two hits in his time on the mound. The 8.0 innings of work was a career-long for Wahl, who had only one base runner advance past first base in his time on the mound.

The shutout victory was his third of the season for Wahl and improved his record to 5-0 on the season. It was also the first time Florida had been shut out since March 8, 2011.

Wahl then used his feet to help clinch the weekend series on Sunday, entering the game as a pinch runner with one out in the bottom of the ninth. The sophomore pitcher entered to run for his catcher, Will Allen, who had reached on a single.

Wahl then went first to third on a single up the middle from Preston Overbey before Florida chose to intentionally walk designated hitter Zach Kirksey to get to Senquez Golson. With the bases loaded and a modified infield defense with five defenders after adding an outfielder, Wahl came home on a grounder down the first base line from Golson and scored safely when the throw was off the mark and gave the Rebels the win.