ChrisMcClendon

• 2008 All-SEC Tournament Team (3B)

Outlook
The definition of a tough-as-nails player, McClendon played through a herniated disk in his back and a pulled hamstring in 2008, still hitting .346 with 33 RBI … Arguably the top returning third baseman in the league … Given the nickname “Sparky” because of his ability to provide a spark in the game … At times due to injury, struggled to bend over to pick up a ground ball during practices, but still managed to play through the pain when his team needed him most, laying out repeatedly throughout the season to save extra-base hits at third base.

2008
One of the top third basemen in the SEC, McClendon played in 48 games with 47 starts, while nursing lingering injuries during the season … Batted .346 (62-for-179) with 11 doubles, a triple, three homers and 33 RBI … A tremendous offensive and defensive threat, McClendon pulled a hamstring on Feb. 29, vs. Oakland, forcing him to miss the next four games … Returned for the Purdue series playing third and DH … Herniated a disk in his back late in the season and missed seven games in mid April … Returned to the field while playing in pain, getting the maximum amount of cortisone injections … Named to the SEC All-Tournament team after batting 5-for-13 with five RBI in UK’s three games …Totaled 18 multi-hit games, 11 multi-RBI games and ran up a 13 game hit streak … Reached base safely in 41 of his 48 games … In the second game at Tennessee, batted 2-for-4 with two RBI and a home run … Went 4-for-5 with four runs, three RBI three doubles and a walk in a win over Tennessee … In a first round win over Alabama in front of nearly 12,000 fans in Hoover, Ala., batted 2-for-5 with two RBI … Followed that up with a 1-for-5, one run day vs. Ole Miss and a 2-for-5, two RBI night in the elimination game vs. Alabama … Stole 7-of-10 bases on the year, despite battling injury … Had two steals in a game vs. Fairfield, stealing another base in the second game of that doubleheader, against South Alabama.

Junior College
Transfer from Texarkana College where he played for two seasons under Coach James Mansinger … Sophomore year of 2007, was awarded a Rawlings Big Stick Award after hitting at a .483 clip with 92 hits, 35 doubles, two home runs, 60 RBI and snagged 33 bases … .483 average led all Texas junior colleges … Named First-Team All-American, All-Region and All-Conference … Led his team to the Conference Championship … Freshman season, batted .389 with 63 hits, 25 doubles, 6 homers and 45 RBI … Named First-Team All-Conference … Holds single season records at Texarkana J.C. in batting average (.483) and doubles (35).

High School
Played high school ball at Lufkin High School in Lufkin, Texas under coach Don Randell.

Personal
Full name is Christopher Ryan McClendon … Son of Roger and Kim McClendon … Born March 1, 1987 in Lufkin, Texas … Has a younger sister Collyn (14) … Father played baseball for two seasons at Angelina J.C.