Big South Announces Baseball Players of the Week - May 11
CHARLOTTE, N.C. (
www.BigSouthSports.com) – Charleston Southern infielder
Alex Marot (Johnstone, R.I.) 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 May 4-10, it was announced today. In addition, UNC Asheville’s
Branden Barna (Merritt Island, Fla.) was selected as the Relief Pitcher of the Week, while Asheville infielder
Ben Green (Matthews, N.C..) is the Freshman of the Week honoree.
Marot batted .643 (9-for-14) with three home runs, 13 RBI and eight runs scored in Charleston Southern’s 4-0 week. He added a double, six walks and a stolen base while posting a 1.357 slugging percentage and a .714 on-base percentage. The redshirt-sophomore recorded multiple hits in all four games and finished with multiple RBI and runs scored in three contests. Marot opened the week going 2-for-4 with a home run and four RBI in a midweek win over College of Charleston. He followed with a 3-for-3 performance in Friday’s series opener against Longwood, blasting two home runs and driving in six while reaching base in all six plate appearances with three walks and three runs scored. Marot then went 2-for-4 with an RBI and two runs scored Saturday before closing the weekend sweep with a 2-for-3 outing that included a double, two RBI and two runs scored on Sunday.
Kaplan tossed a complete game on just 100 pitches to clinch USC Upstate’s spot in the Big South Tournament. He allowed one earned run on five hits across 9.0 innings while striking out a season-high seven batters and walking one. The right-hander retired the first nine batters he faced, carrying a perfect game into the fourth inning, and stranded four runners between the fourth and fifth frames after allowing his lone run. Kaplan faced just one batter over the minimum from the sixth inning on, inducing his team-leading ninth double play and retiring the final five hitters he faced. He held opponents to a .167 batting average while recording the second complete game of his career.
Barna recorded two saves on back-to-back days in UNC Asheville’s series win over Radford. He totaled 4.2 innings across three relief appearances, allowing one run on five hits with two strikeouts and one walk. The redshirt-junior retired the side in order in his lone midweek outing at Western Carolina before earning a save in Friday’s 4-2 win over the Highlanders, allowing one hit and one walk in the ninth inning. Barna returned Saturday to secure the series victory, tossing the final 2.2 innings while surrendering one run on four hits with two strikeouts in a 6-4 win.
Green batted .538 (7-for-13) with two doubles, four RBI, two runs scored and a stolen base for UNC Asheville. He posted a .692 slugging percentage and a .538 on-base percentage on the week. The freshman recorded multiple hits and at least one RBI in all three games of the weekend series against Radford. Green opened with a 2-for-4 effort featuring a double and two RBI in Friday’s series opener, then added two hits, one RBI and a run scored Saturday. He capped the week with a 3-for-4 performance Sunday, adding another double while driving in one and scoring once.
Also nominated for Player of the Week:
Ryan Kennell (Gardner-Webb)
Caleb Hammond (High Point),
Emory Guilford (Presbyterian),
Ben Green (UNC Asheville) and
Jake Armsey (USC Upstate).
Also nominated for Starting Pitcher of the Week:
Titus Vonkapff (Charleston Southern),
Ty Brachbill (High Point),
Tyrell Williams (Presbyterian) and
Cooper Smith (UNC Asheville).
Also nominated for Relief Pitcher of the Week:
Ayden Smith (Charleston Southern),
Jerek Hobb (Gardner-Webb),
Dylan Story (High Point),
Mason McDaniel (Presbyterian) and
Brad Benton (USC Upstate).
Also nominated for Freshman of the Week:
Ayden Smith (Charleston Southern),
Matt Stuart (Gardner-Webb),
Ben Pulliam (Longwood) and
Bo Moody (Presbyterian).