March 4, 2003

WACO, Texas - Baylor first baseman Ross Bennett was named the Big 12 Conference Player of the Week for games played Feb. 24-March 2, the league announced Tuesday. The honor gives the Bears back-to-back players of the week; Chris Durbin was so honored a week ago.

Bennett, a senior from Cape Girardeau, Mo., hit an amazing .786 last week (11-for-14), scoring five runs and driving in five. He hit safely in all four starts, including a pair of four-hit games. Bennett opened the week by going 4-for-4 with two runs scored and two RBI Wednesday against UT-San Antonio, then finished off the week with another four-hit game, scoring twice as the Bears completed a sweep of UC-Irvine.

Bennett came into the week with just one career four-hit game before accomplishing the feat twice in four games. He improved his career average 16 points during the week, vaulting past Durbin into third place in the Baylor recordbooks at .349 (140-for-401). Bennett leads the Bears in hitting this season at .533, good for second in the Big 12.

The award marks the first time Bennett has been named Big 12 Player of the Week in his four seasons at Baylor.

Nebraska sophomore Brian Duensing was named Big 12 Pitcher of the Week after shutting out then-No. 7 Wake Forest 6-0. Duensing struck out five and allowed five hits in his first career complete game.

Sixth-ranked Baylor begins an eight-game homestand Tuesday at 6 p.m. against Texas-Arlington. The home stretch continues on the weekend with three games against eighth-ranked Long Beach State.