Big South Announces Baseball Players of the Week - Feb. 25
CHARLOTTE, N.C. (
www.BigSouthSports.com) – High Point infielder
Jackson Melton (Waxhaw, N.C.) has been named the Big South Baseball Player of the Week, while USC Upstate’s
Max Kaplan (Glencoe, Ill.) is the Starting Pitcher of the Week for games played Feb. 17-23, it was announced today. In addition, Presbyterian College’s
Jacob Fields (Kennesaw, Ga.) was selected as the Relief Pitcher of the Week, while Charleston Southern’s
Anthony Sanguedolce (Manorville, N.Y.) is the Freshman of the Week honoree.
Melton slashed .500/.500/1.333, going 6-for-12 with nine RBI, two home runs, two doubles, and a triple while recording at least two hits and two RBI in all three High Point victories. He also scored three runs and was hit by a pitch. The graduate student singled and homered in Tuesday’s 13-7 win over Appalachian State, driving in two runs and scoring twice. He continued his hot streak in Saturday’s series-opening win against Toledo with a double, a triple, and two RBI. Melton capped the weekend with a career-high five RBI on Sunday, delivering a two-run homer and a three-run double.
In his first career start, Kaplan tossed a 9.0-inning complete game, striking out 13 while allowing just two hits and no earned runs in a 6-1 win over Le Moyne. His 13 strikeouts tied a single-game program record and stand as a league-high this season. The freshman left-hander allowed just five baserunners, giving up an unearned run in the first before shutting down Le Moyne over the final 8.0 innings without surrendering a hit. He recorded multiple strikeouts in four different frames, including two in the ninth to seal the victory, and held opponents to a .071 batting average.
Fields closed out the last 2.0 innings of Presbyterian’s 3-2 walk-off win against Le Moyne on Friday. He struck out five, allowed no hits and no runs, and earned his first win of the season. He entered a 2-2 tie game in the top of the eighth inning and promptly recorded a pair of swinging strikeouts and a line out. He then fanned the side in the ninth, punching out the final two batters looking, allowing PC's offense to win it in walk-off fashion in the bottom of the frame.
Sanguedolce batted .400 (4-for-10) with seven runs scored, four RBI, two doubles, five walks and three stolen bases in Charleston Southern’s perfect 4-0 week. He posted a .600 on-base percentage and also slugged .600. The lefty outfielder opened the week with a standout performance in a 9-5 win over Miami (OH), going 2-for-3 with a double, three RBI, two runs, two walks, and a stolen base. His bases-clearing double in the second gave CSU an early lead, and after drawing a walk in the eighth, he came around to score the go-ahead run on a grand slam. Sanguedolce closed out the week by reaching base in all three wins over Manhattan, tallying two hits, five runs, and an RBI to help the Bucs stay unbeaten.
Also nominated for Player of the Week:
Kaden Smith (Charleston Southern),
Lawson Knight (Gardner-Webb),
Trè Keels (Longwood),
Eli Lazio (Presbyterian),
Vance Sheahan (USC Upstate) and
Gabe Natividad (Winthrop).
Also nominated for Starting Pitcher of the Week:
Nick Timpanelli (Charleston Southern),
Reid Bertram (Gardner-Webb),
Kyle Miller (Longwood) and
Robbie Boykin (Presbyterian).
Also nominated for Relief Pitcher of the Week:
Tyler Henshaw (Charleston Southern),
Mason Manriquez (Gardner-Webb),
Joey Tuttoilmondo (High Point),
Braden Consaul (USC Upstate) and
Ben Rehkow (Winthrop).
Also nominated for Freshman of the Week:
Wade Walton (High Point),
Justin Gunter (Longwood),
JJ Harrell (Presbyterian) and
Max Kaplan (USC Upstate).