May 7, 2013

PHILADELPHIA - Saint Joseph's junior righthander Daniel Thorpe was named the Philadelphia Big 5 Baseball Pitcher of the Week, it was announced on Tuesday. Thorpe helped lead the Hawks to a series victory over Xavier with an outstanding performance on Sunday.

Thorpe allowed just four hits while striking out a career-best 11 over eight shutout innings as the Hawks went on to a 2-0 win over the Musketeers in the rubber game of a critical three-game set. He also picked off two runners early in the contest. Thorpe retired eight batters in a row between the second and fifth innings, and sent down seven of the final nine hitters he faced.

Xavier put runners on the corners with one out in the fifth, but Thorpe got a popout and a strikeout to escape the threat. He then put down another potential rally in the sixth, stranding runners on second and third.

Thorpe earned his fifth win of the season, dropping his earned run average by nearly half a run. The victory was the 25th of the season for Saint Joseph's, tying a school record set in 1995 and matched last season.

The Hawks head to Saint Louis this weekend for a crucial series with the first-place Billikens. First pitch in the series opener is set for Friday night at 7:30 p.m.