BASEBALL: Belmont’s Holland, Vanderbilt’s Rocker honored with TSWA weekly accolades
NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Belmont’s Hunter Holland and Vanderbilt’s Kumar Rocker were named the Player and Pitcher of the Week, respectively, by the Tennessee Sports Writers Association for their efforts in contests from April 22-28.
Holland batted .400 (6-for-15) with six extra-base hits, including three home runs, along with 13 RBIs and five runs scored in four games for the Bruins. The Soddy Daisy, Tenn., native hit a two-run homer in a mid-week contest at Lipscomb posted a triple, two doubles and a sacrifice fly, driving in five runs in the first of a three-game series at Tennessee Tech.
The senior outfielder walked and scored in the second contest versus the Golden Eagles and recorded two home runs, a two-run shot and a three-run homer, in the series finale at TTU. Holland is batting .258 with 10 doubles, five home runs, 29 RBIs and 20 runs scored in 33 games this season.
Rocker worked seven innings against Auburn, giving up two runs on six hits with 10 strikeouts and just one walk. The freshman set the side down in order three times and allowed one run in two other innings in a 5-2 victory.
The Athens, Ga., native improved to 5-4 for the season and has won his last three starts, striking out 19 and limiting opponents to a .167 batting average. Rocker has 51 strikeouts in 48.0 innings this season over 11 appearances.
2019 TSWA BASEBALL PLAYERS OF THE WEEK
February 19 – Lake Burris, Bryan College (Player); Trey Holland, University of the South (Pitcher)
March 1 – JJ Bleday, Vanderbilt (Player); Peyton Wigginton, Middle Tennessee (Pitcher)
March 6 – Aaron Antonini, Middle Tennessee (Player); Chase Douglas, Trevecca University (Pitcher)
March 13 – Ethan Paul, Vanderbilt (Player); Samuel Joiner, Maryville College (Pitcher)
March 21 – Javier Lopez, Trevecca University (Player); Charles Hall, Tusculum University (Pitcher)
March 26 – Stephen Scott, Vanderbilt (Player); Drake Fellows, Vanderbilt (Pitcher)
April 3 – JJ Bleday, Vanderbilt (Player); Mason Hickman, Vanderbilt (Pitcher)
April 9 – Myles Christian, Middle Tennessee (Player); Jordan Davis, Maryville College (Pitcher)
April 16 – Javier Lopez, Trevecca University (Player); Garrett Stallings, Tennessee (Pitcher)
April 24 – Matt Joslin, Austin Peay (Player); Jake Roberson, Trevecca University (Pitcher)
SOFTBALL: Union’s Kelley, UT Martin’s Ray selected for TSWA weekly honors
NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Union University’s Kaitlyn Kelley and UT Martin’s Lexi Ray received Player and Pitcher of the Week accolades, respectively, from the Tennessee Sports Writers Association for their efforts in contests from April 22-28.
Kelley batted .615 (8-for-13) with one double, two home runs, eight RBIs and seven runs scored in five games for the Bulldogs. The Lexington, Tenn., native doubled among three hits, drove in four runs and scored three times in the first game of a doubleheader versus Lane College. She tripled in the second contest versus the Dragons.
The freshman infielder hit a three-run homer and scored twice in the first of a three-game series against Christian Brothers and posted two hits in the second contest versus the Bucs. Kelley finished the series with a solo homer and two runs scored.
She is batting .432 with 19 doubles, 13 home runs, 61 RBIs and 53 runs scored in 53 games this season.
Ray tossed a perfect game and allowed just three runs in 15.2 innings of work over three appearances for the week. The Louisville, Ky., native worked 4.2 scoreless frames of relief against Memphis, giving up one hit with four strikeouts.
The freshman righthander suffered a 3-0 loss at Jacksonville State, allowing three runs on five hits with four strikeouts. She threw just 50 pitches in the five-inning perfect game at Tennessee Tech, striking out two. UTM scored 10 runs in the fifth to end the contest early. It marked the third perfect game in Skyhawks softball history and the first since 2007.
Ray improved to 8-7 with a 2.90 ERA in 87.0 innings this season covering 23 appearances. She has 43 strikeouts and seven complete games.
2019 TSWA SOFTBALL PLAYERS OF THE WEEK
February 19 – Abby Fiessinger, Carson-Newman (Player); Brooklin Lee, Belmont (Pitcher)
March 1 – Kay Brokering, King University (Player); Morgan Rackel, Austin Peay (Pitcher)
March 6 – Danielle Liermann, Austin Peay (Player); Alyssa Arden, Tennessee Tech (Pitcher)
March 13 – MaKray Odom, Trevecca University (Player); Katlyn Smith, Maryville College (Pitcher)
March 21 – Kaitlyn Kelley, Union University (Player); Morgan Rackel, Austin Peay (Pitcher)
March 26 –Baylee Sutton, Tennessee Wesleyan (Player); Casey Gilbert, King University (Pitcher)
April 3 – Tana Whited, Trevecca University (Player); Savannah Carr, Trevecca University (Pitcher)
April 9 – Abby Fiessinger, Carson-Newman (Player); Lindsey Dunn, Bryan College (Pitcher)
April 16 – Kelsey Seitz, Trevecca University (Player); Alicia Veltri, Belmont (Pitcher)