George, Cooper Named ASC Baseball Players of the Week
4/13/2015 4:49:49 PM
AMERICAN SOUTHWEST CONFERENCE BASEBALL PLAYERS OF THE WEEK
Games: April 6-12, 2015
HITTER OF THE WEEK – Brandon George, 3B, Jr., Texas Dallas
Junior third baseman Brandon George (Spring, Texas/Spring HS) helped the Comets to four wins last week including a weekend sweep at Ozarks. George was 9-for-19 at the plate with a 1.000 slugging percentage as he collected 12 RBI and scored seven runs on the week. In Tuesday's road win over the University of Dallas, George was 3-for-6 with four RBI and a home run. He opened the series at Ozarks going 4-for-6 at the plate with five RBI and three runs scored, collecting a double and a home run. He then went 2-for-4 with three RBI and three runs scored, amassing a double and triple in the series finale with the Eagles.
PITCHER OF THE WEEK – Kreece Cooper, Sr., RHP, Mary Hardin-Baylor
Senior pitcher Kreece Cooper (Jarrell, Texas/Jarrell HS) threw a complete-game, two-hitter in the Cru's 10-0 victory over Hardin-Simmons. Cooper struck out 10 of the 24 batters he faced and walked just one in his first shutout of the season. One of the two hits allowed was an infield single and he limited the Cowboys to a .090 team batting average. Cooper only threw seven innings because the game was shortened on the run rule.
OTHER TOP PERFORMANCES AT THE PLATE
Concordia Texas junior first baseman Connor Bertsch (Fayetteville, Texas/Fayetteville HS) hit .364 with a double, a home run and drove in five runs in a three-game sweep of Howard Payne this past weekend. Bertsch accumulated eight total bases, which translated to a .727 slugging percentage, and he reached base at a .429 clip. Bertsch, who hit his fourth home run of the season on Saturday, also stole a base and scored three times.
East Texas Baptist junior outfielder Tyler Bates (Joshua, Texas/Alvarado HS) recorded two or more hits in all four games played with a .882 slugging percentage. In 17 at-bats Bates was walked twice and struck out only once. He recorded the first RBI in a 9-5 win in the final game of the series when he worked a bases-loaded walk.
Howard Payne senior outfielder Jake Sadler (Liberty Hill, Texas/Liberty Hill HS) when 7-for-17 for the week over four games with one triple. Sadler also had a stolen base to go along with nine total bases and a .529 slugging percentage. He was 3-for-5 against McMurry in the Jackets’ midweek game.
Louisiana College senior catcher Garrett Parsons (Channelview, Texas/Channelview HS) was the primary offensive threat for the Wildcats during a 2-2 week. Parson collected five hits and five RBI in four games against in-state rival Centenary College while not registering a strike out.
LeTourneau senior infielder/designated hitter David Perkins (Longview, Texas/Spring Hill HS) had a pair of multi-hit games and shared in the team lead with five hits in the four games for the YellowJackets. Perkins reached base in all four games.
Mary Hardin-Baylor junior outfielder Will Stafford (Katy, Texas/Cinco Ranch HS) had two multiple hit games while batting .533 over four starts. He drove in four runs and scored four more from his No. 9 spot in the batting order. Stafford’s two-run single jumped started a seven-run inning to lead the Cru to an 11-9 victory in the opener of Saturday's doubleheader. He also posted an on-base percentage of .563.
Sul Ross State senior outfielder Turner Mattson (Lubbock, Texas/Monterey HS) got the biggest hit of the weekend for the Lobos, as his two out single in the bottom of the 16th inning scored Ozzie Bueno with the winning run in the rain-delayed series opener against East Texas Baptist. He walked twice and drove in the tying run with a bases-loaded walk in the fifth inning of Saturday's first inning, helping key a four-run rally as the Lobos came from behind to win. Mattson tripled and scored in the fifth inning of Saturday's nightcap to cut SRSU's deficit to 4-3. He tripled home the tying run in the bottom of the ninth inning, but was left at third.
Texas-Tyler senior outfielder Derrick Smith (White Oak, Texas/White Oak HS) helped lead the Patriots to another ASC series-sweep, their third in-a-row, defeating LeTourneau 5-3, 5-0, 4-0. Smith led the team with a .615 batting average, eight hits, two doubles, one triple and 12 total bases.
OTHER TOP PERFORMANCES ON THE MOUND
Concordia Texas senior pitcher Ragan Pope (Georgetown, Texas/Georgetown HS) hurled seven scoreless frames and struck out eight while combining on a shutout in a 15-0 win over Howard Payne in the series opener. The southpaw scattered four hits while earning the victory. Pope gave up a leadoff single in the fifth inning and then retired the next nine batters he faced before turning the game over to the bullpen.
East Texas Baptist senior pitcher Kirby Moore (Minden, La./Minden HS) tied his longest outing of the year with nine innings on the mound in the Tigers’ 10-inning win (9-5). Moore did not walk a batter and recorded five strike outs.
Howard Payne sophomore pitcher Kyle Ramon (San Antonio, Texas/East Central HS) struck out seven in a five-inning no-decision start against ASC-leader Concordia Texas. Ramon gave up just two runs on four hits and walked three.
Louisiana College senior pitcher Ron Anders (Zachary, La./Zachary HS) came on in relief in both games of Saturday’s doubleheader against Centenary College. Anders tossed 3.2 total innings on the day, did not allow an earned run, and gave up just one walk while picking up his third save of the season in a 5-3 win in game two. It was his second save of the season when Anders worked at least three innings.
Ozarks freshman pitcher Bobby Ketterer (Bandera, Texas/Bandera HS) was effective in relief in Ozarks series against Texas Dallas. Ketterer tossed 1.1 innings and struck out three in the game one. He then threw a hitless inning in game three.
Sul Ross State junior pitcher Eli Gallego (Alpine, Texas/Alpine HS) who is normally a starter entered the game in relief in the 10th inning of Friday's suspended game when it was resumed Saturday. Gallego shut out East Texas Baptist on two hits over seven innings and earned the win when SRSU scored in the bottom of the 16th inning. He is now 6-3 for the season with a 2.44 ERA. Gallego also batted .400 for the weekend, with six hits in 15 at bats and had 35 errorless chances in the field.
Texas Dallas senior pitcher Aaron Bach (Bellaire, Texas/Bellaire HS) improved to 4-1 on the season as he closed the door on the weekend sweep of Ozarks with his first career shutout. Bach scattered five hits while fanning two Eagles as the Comets run-ruled Ozarks (13-0) in the series finale Saturday afternoon. Bach did not issue a walk and never allowed a runner past second base.
Texas-Tyler sophomore pitcher Cade Suggs (Tyler, Texas/East Texas Christian Academy) helped the Patriots close out a sweep against LeTourneau, pitching a complete game in a 4-0 win over the YellowJackets. Suggs finished the game allowing just three hits while holding LETU to a .097 batting average.