Malone University senior lefthander Roscoe Blackburn was named the Great Midwest Athletic Conference (G-MAC) North Division Pitcher of the Week on Monday while junior shortstop Joe Crank was selected as the G-MAC North Player of the Week for his work at the plate. The pair helped Malone to a 7-1 record at the RussMatt Invitational in central Florida.
 
Blackburn (Worthington, OH / Thomas Worthington HS), the 2017 G-MAC Pitcher of the Year, was sensational in a nine-inning complete game shutout victory over Notre Dame (OH) on Friday. Blackburn gave up just one hit, an infield single in the top of the seventh, and two walks while striking out a career-high 15 batters. He showed off his fielding acumen as well, picking off two baserunners at first base.
 
Blackburn's 15 strikeouts were tied for second-most in a game by a Division II pitcher this season as well as tied for second-most in the history of the G-MAC. He needed only 104 pitches to complete his second straight shutout and seemed to get better down the stretch. The 6'3" southpaw fanned at least one batter in every inning, including two each in five of his final six frames. He ended his outing with back-to-back Ks to secure, what was at the time, the Pioneers' ninth straight victory.
 
Through three starts this season, Blackburn is 2-1 with a 1.99 ERA and 21 strikeouts in 22.2 innings pitched. He is the only pitcher in the conference with two shutouts.
 
Joe Crank (Louisville, OH / Louisville HS) picked up the Player of the Week award after hitting .440 (11-for-25) with a team-high 13 runs scored across the eight games. He reached base at a .600 clip, walking seven times while adding three HBPs to his 11 hits. Crank scored at least one run in all eight games and collected seven RBI during an outstanding week.
 
Like Blackburn, he saved his best for last, going 7-for 10 in two games Saturday, including six doubles during a doubleheader split. Crank, who led the G-MAC in triples last season, collected as many doubles in the two games Saturday as he had the entire 2017 season.
 
Through 15 games this season, the Pioneers' number three hitter is batting a team-best .404 with seven doubles. He leads Malone in on-base percentage (.545), runs scored (16), and RBI (14) and also has four stolen bases.
 
Malone begins G-MAC play this week with a challenging four-game road stretch against a pair of G-MAC South opponents. The Pioneers will take on defending G-MAC Champion Kentucky Wesleyan in a doubleheader Friday before facing defending G-MAC regular season champs Trevecca Nazarene on Saturday.