Georgia's Fields named Stopper of the Year

ATHENS - University of Georgia senior pitcher Joshua Fields was named the 2008 National Stopper of the Year by the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association on Wednesday.

Fields, a 6-foot, 178-pound native of Hull, has already been named a First Team All-American by Collegiate Baseball and the SEC Pitcher of the Year by league coaches this season. He also helped the seventh-ranked and SEC Champion Bulldogs advance to an NCAA Super Regional, starting Friday against N.C. State.

Fields ranks second in the NCAA in saves this season, with a school record 16, while posting a 2-2 mark and 2.27 ERA in 31.2 innings. He has registered 56 strikeouts in 30 appearances, limiting opponents to a .112 batting average. Fields holds the SEC career saves record with 39. In addition to his contributions on the mound, the semifinalist for this year's Golden Spikes and Clemens Awards also appeared in 10 games as a batter, including six starts as a designated hitter.

A second-round pick of the Atlanta Braves and the 69th player selected overall in the 2007 Major League Baseball draft, Fields relied on a deep-seeded faith to direct his decision to return to Georgia and complete his collegiate career.