May 3, 2006

GREENWOOD, Ind. - Bluffton University's TONY MOORE (Elida, Ohio/Elida) has been named the Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference April Men's Player of the Month. The sophomore infielder batted .461 during the month and helped the Beavers' baseball team to an 8-11 record.

Moore was 35-for-76 at the plate in 18 contests and collected 14 RBI, 23 runs scored and 10 doubles. He finished the month with a .592 slugging percentage and also registered seven stolen bases.

He carried a 19-game hitting streak through the month before it came to an end in the team's final game of the month against Mt. St. Joseph on Apr. 29.

Included in his performances during the month was a 4-for-6 outing against Ohio Northern on Apr. 12. The Beavers won 18-17 and Moore delivered four runs and four RBI. He was 3-for-5 with two doubles, two runs and an RBI in Bluffton's 5-4 win over Hanover on Apr. 8.

Moore is currently hitting .411 on the season with 11 doubles, 36 runs scored and 22 RBI. He leads the team with 14 stolen bases in 17 attempts. He is now the Bluffton University season hits leader with 58 on the season and three regular season games remaining. He broke the previous record of 50, which was set by MATT HENDERSON in 1988, on Apr. 22, at Transylvania.

Bluffton is 15-20 overall and tied for fourth place in the HCAC at 8-10.

Moore is the second Bluffton athlete to win the HCAC Men's Player of the Month award and first baseball player. SCOTT BERGMAN was named HCAC Player of the Month for December 2005.

The recipients of the award are voted on by the sports information directors of the conference's eight member institutions.