From STAFF, SUBMITTED REPORTS

BETHANY, W. Va.. — Former Dooly County High athletics stalwart Brent Owens was recently named the Presidents Athletic Conference “Hitter of the Week” for the period ending April 23.

In earning that honor, the senior catcher/designated hitter for Bethany College’s Bison batted .500 (11-22) with one homer, four doubles, nine RBIs and 11 runs scored to lead the Bison to a 3-4 week.

The highlight of the week came in Bethany’s 14-4 victory over Saint Vincent (Pa.) College when Owens went 3-for-5 while driving in a career-high six runs and also scoring twice. For the week, he had two or more hits in four of the games and reached base in all seven.

On the year, Owens stands fourth in the PAC in batting with a .420 average and ranks

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third with 28 RBIs and 42 hits. He also leads the Bison with four home runs, nine doubles, 27 runs scored, a .635 slugging percentage and a .504 on-base percentage.

“I’ve been having a pretty good season,” Owens said before describing himself as “an old married man at age 23. “Hopefully, I’ll continue to do as well the rest of the way.”

Over his last 19 games, Owens is hitting .529 and during that time has connected for all four of his homers, eight of his doubles and 22 of his RBIs and runs scored.

In addition, he reached base safely in 19 straight games, the school’s longest streak since Jeff Weekley set the Bethany record by reaching safely in 29 consecutive games in 1996.

“Brent’s hot stick has had a major impact in our recent improved play,” said Bison head coach Rock Carver, whose team is 7-3 in the second half of the season.

‘His discipline at the plate is the key as he already has 16 walks this year as compared to six all of last season. He’s seeing the ball well and taking the right approach at the plate. Combine that with his will and athleticism and you see the kind of success that follows.”

A 2002 graduate of Dooly County, Owens is ending his second season of playing both football and baseball at Bethany. Prior to enrolling here, he initially signed with Montana State where he spent two years before transferring to the University of West Georgia for a year.

An economics major who plans to return to his Middle Georgia roots to work in his father’s insurance agency after his graduation this summer, Brent is the son of Joe and Wanda Owens of Vienna.