GUILFORD'S FRANKLIN CLAIMS WEEKLY ODAC AWARD

Greensboro, NC (04/16/02) -- Junior infielder Brad Franklin (Greensboro, NC/Southern Guilford) earned the Old Dominion Athletic Conference's Baseball Player of the Week Award for the week ending April 14, the league announced Monday. Franklin, a first-time award winner, becomes Guilford's fourth player to receive the weekly prize this season. Junior R.J. Marks (Browns Summit, NC/Northeast Guilford) captured last week's award.

Franklin extended his hitting streak to 13 games with six hits in three Guilford victories last week. He hit .500 for the week (6-12) with two homers and eight runs batted in. Franklin hit for a cycle of sorts in the Quakers' April 13 sweep of league rival Emory & Henry. He belted a three-run homer and two-run triple in the opener on the way to a 2-4 batting performance with a career-high five runs batted in (RBI). The second baseman added a single, double and another homer in the nightcap where he finished 3-4 with three RBI. His triple in the opener marked his seventh of the season and tied the school record for three-base hits in a season set by Tommy Grayson '67 in 1966.

Franklin leads the league in triples (7) and runs scored (44). He ranks second in the ODAC with 40 RBI and stands fourth in hits (47/1.42 per game). Franklin is Guilford's fifth-leading hitter with a .346 average and has four homers and seven stolen bases. He's started in 33 of the Quakers' 34 contests and leads Guilford with 12 multiple-RBI contests.

Coach Gene Baker's Quakers (24-10, 11-3 ODAC) are ranked seventh in the latest American Baseball Coaches Association Division III South region poll and sit in second place in the ODAC. Saturday's sweep of Emory & Henry clinched the Quakers' third trip to the four-team ODAC Tournament in five years. Guilford, winners of six straight and 11 of its last 13, visits Virginia Intermont Wednesday (04/17) before closing its league slate Saturday (04/20) with a doubleheader at Washington and Lee.