Combs, Loson Named ASC Baseball Players of the Week
2/23/2016 2:03:48 PM
AMERICAN SOUTHWEST CONFERENCE BASEBALL PLAYERS OF THE WEEK
Games: February 16-22, 2016
HITTER OF THE WEEK – Conner Combs, Jr. 1B, East Texas Baptist
Junior first baseman Conner Combs (Southlake, Texas / Carroll HS) had a career week with three home runs in two games against Schreiner. Combs recorded an RBI in three of the four games he played in. He posted a career-best two home runs and seven RBI in game one on Friday night against Schreiner as ETBU won 10-1. On Saturday, in game one, he hit a two-run homerun to put ETBU up 3-0. For the week Combs was 5-of-13 at the plate for a .385 average with five home runs, 10 RBI, 13 total bases, four runs scored and had a 1.077 slugging percentage.
PITCHER OF THE WEEK – Kyle Loson, Jr., RHP, East Texas Baptist
Junior pitcher Kyle Loson (Kingwood, Texas / Kingwood Park HS) produced his first shutout on the mound in his third outing of the season in a seven-inning game against Schreiner. He only allowed one-hit in a 3-0 win striking out five batters and retired the side in the first, fifth, sixth and seventh innings.
OTHER TOP PERFORMANCES AT THE PLATE
Belhaven senior designated hitter Adam Kowalczyk (Marshall, Va. / Fauquier HS) led the Blazers' sweep of Louisiana College this past weekend. Kowalczyk hit .400 (4-for-10) with two home runs and five RBI. For the week, he hit .308 (4-for-13), while reaching base in seven of his 16 plate appearances. He also finished with a .769 on-base percentage and a .438 slugging percentage.
LeTourneau senior catcher Taylor Empkey (Bedford, Texas / Eastfield College) hit .333 to lead the YellowJackets to a doubleheader sweep of the University of Dallas, last Saturday. Empkey had a pair of hits with two RBI in the 8-3 win in game one. He followed that up with a hit and a run scored in the nightcap as LETU completed the sweep with a 10-0 victory.
Louisiana College junior outfielder Kiefer Moore (Shreveport, La. / Northwood HS) got multiple hits in each game of the three game series against Belhaven. Moore went 6-of-13 at the plate for a .462 average with a double and four RBI. He also swiped two bases on two attempts.
Mary Hardin-Baylor sophomore outfielder Riley Davis (Conroe, Texas / Conroe HS) was 3-of-3 at the plate and scored the game-tying run in the Cru’s 7-4 victory over No. 7 Trinity (Texas) last week. His single to lead off the bottom of the eighth inning started the game-winning rally. He also doubled home a run and scored another in UMHB's two-run frame earlier in the game. He added a walk and reached base in all four trips to the plate.
Ozarks junior outfielder Andrew Beck (Conway, Ark. / St. Joseph HS) went 9-of-15 with five RBI to give the Eagles a 3-1 record last week. Beck had three doubles and one triple over four games. In a win against Westminster College (Feb. 20), Beck went 5-for-5 with a double and a triple and four RBI. For the week Beck went 9-of-15 at the plate for a .600 average with three doubles, a triple, five RBI, four runs scored and had a 1.066 slugging percentage.
Texas Dallas senior first baseman Nick Marti (Spring, Texas / Spring HS) hit .500 with a pair of doubles in the Comets' three games at No. 7 Trinity (Texas) over the weekend. Marti opened the weekend with a 2-for-4 performance with two RBI in a 7-4 loss to the Tigers Friday night. He then had a 2-for-3 outing with a double and two runs scored in a close 8-7 loss to Trinity in Saturday's opener. For the week, Marti was 5-of-10 at the plate with two RBI, two runs scored and a stolen base.
Texas-Tyler senior outfielder Sam Lane (Plano, Texas / Plano East HS) had a pair of two-hit games last weekend against LSU-Alexandria to lead the Patriots offense in the three-game series against the Generals. Lane opened the weekend by going 2-for-5 with two doubles in the opener and would cap the series with two singles and scored three runs. Lane finished the weekend with three RBI, a .308 average and two doubles with four runs scored.
OTHER TOP PERFORMANCES ON THE MOUND
Belhaven senior pitcher Tanner Cable (Southaven, Miss. / Southaven HS) won his first game in a Blazer uniform. In six innings on the mound, he allowed four earned runs, gave up one walk and struck out a career high 12 batters, tying a school record.
LeTourneau freshman pitcher Andrew Harlan (Lewisville, Texas / Lewisville HS) pitched his first collegiate shutout and complete game in the 10-0 win over University of Dallas. All six of the hits he surrendered were singles and he did not walk a batter on the afternoon.
Mary Hardin-Baylor junior pitcher Seth Hill (Cat Springs, Texas / Sealy HS) pitched 2.2 scoreless innings of relief to pick up the win in the Cru’s 7-4 victory over No. 7 Trinity (Texas) last week. Hill struck out three of the 11 batters he faced and allowed two singles in his time on the mound.
Ozarks relief pitcher Jacob Barker (Russellville, Ark. / Russellville HS) picked up a save and a win last week. Barker was inserted in the eighth with two outs and left the inning without giving up a run against Westminster College. In the ninth inning, Barker forced a fly out and then produced back-to-back strikeouts to end the game. The next day, Barker pitched the final two innings and allowed just one hit to receive the win in game three.
Texas-Tyler junior pitcher Chad Hayes (Montgomery, Texas / Montgomery HS) earned a win and a save last Saturday against LSU-Alexandria with Hayes closing out both games of a doubleheader. Hayes recorded his first save of the season with five strikeouts and gave up just one hit and no runs in two innings on the mound. Hayes earned his first save of the season striking out five and allowing one hit but no runs in two innings of work in an 8-6 win to start the afternoon. In game two Hayes earned the win in a 9-8 win by the Patriots after three outs on 10 pitches in the top of the ninth. Texas-Tyler scored two runs in the bottom of the inning for the comeback victory and secure Hayes' first win.