May 22, 2000
ARIZONA STATE senior outfielder Mitch Jones has been named Pac-10 Baseball Player of the Week and UCLA junior right-hander Jon Brandt has been named Pac-10 Baseball Pitcher of the Week for May 15-21, Commissioner Tom Hansen announced today.
Jones, from Orem, Utah, broke a 22-year old school record held by Bob Horner (1978) for single season home runs when he hit No. 26 in Sunday's 24-10 win over Arizona. Jones went 8-for-16 (.500) for the weekend with six RBI and five runs scored. He hit for the cycle on Sunday going 5-for-6 at the plate with six RBI and three runs scored. He becomes the first player since 1997 to hit for the cycle for Arizona State and first against a Pac-10 school since 1988. Jones was recently named a first-team All-American by USA Today/Baseball Weekly and was chosen as one of 12 semifinalists for the Rotary Smith Award, honoring the nation's top collegiate player.
Brandt, from Palo Alto, Calif., pitched seven scoreless innings and earned two victories in relief in two crucial wins this week. In the dramatic win over Arizona on Monday, which clinched the series sweep, Brandt's performance put the team in a position to be in contention for the title last weekend. Brandt allowed four hits and no runs, while striking out two in four innings, holding a 5-5 tie until the ninth inning. Then he allowed no hits and no runs over the last three innings of game one of the series at Stanford, securing a share of the Pac-10 title. Stanford had scored nine runs when Brandt entered the game.
The Player of the Week honor is the second for Jones this season and his career, and the 62nd selection all-time for Arizona State. The Pitcher of the Week honor is the first for Brandt in his career, and the 31st selection all-time for UCLA.
Also nominated for Player of the Week were Joe Borchard, STAN, Garrett Atkins, UCLA, and Stefan Bailie, WSU. Also nominated for Pitcher of the Week were Justin Wayne, STAN, Mark Prior, USC, and Matt O'Brien, WSU.
2000 PAC-10 PLAYERS OF THE WEEK: Feb. 22 - Todd Linden, WASH, Feb. 29 - Mitch Jones, ASU, Mar. 7 - Brooks Conrad, ASU, Mar. 14 - Forrest Johnson, UCLA, Mar. 21 - Xavier Nady, CAL, Mar. 28 - Beau Craig, USC, Apr. 3 - Forrest Johnson, UCLA, Apr. 10 - John Gall, STAN, Apr. 17 - Clint Hoover, CAL, Apr. 24 - Jay Garthwaite, WASH, May 1 - Bill Scott, UCLA, May 8 - Ed Erickson, WASH, May 15 - Brooks Conrad, ASU, May 22 - Mitch Jones, ASU.
2000 PAC-10 PITCHERS OF THE WEEK: Feb. 22 - Jon Switzer, ASU, Feb. 29 - Ben Diggins, ARIZ, Mar. 7 - Justin Wayne, STAN, Mar. 14 - Rob Henkel, UCLA, Mar. 21 - Mike Gosling, STAN, Mar. 28 - Rob Henkel, UCLA, Apr. 3 - Justin Wayne, STAN, Apr. 10 - Jon Switzer, ASU and Jeff Carlsen, WASH, Apr. 17 - Jeff Bruksch, STAN, Apr. 24 - Josh Karp, UCLA, May 1 - Jon Switzer, ASU, May 8 - Scott Nicholson, OSU, May 15 - Rob Henkel, UCLA, May 22 - Jon Brandt, UCLA.