Big South Announces Baseball Players of the Week - March 21
CHARLOTTE, N.C. (www.BigSouthSports.com) –- Longwood’s Gregory Ryan (North Chesterfield, Va.) has been named the Big South Baseball Player of the Week, while Winthrop’s Garrett Gainey (Hartsville, S.C.) is the Starting Pitcher of the Week for games played March 14-20, it was announced today. In addition, UNC Asheville’s Justin Honeycutt (Fayetteville, N.C.) was selected the Relief Pitcher of the Week, while USC Upstate’s Al Holguin (Chicago, Ill.) is the Freshman of the Week.
Ryan hit .438 (7-16) in four games with seven runs, six RBI, two home runs, one double and one triple, in addition to drawing four walks and stealing two bases. He had three multiple-hit games, and helped the Lancers to a 2-1 Big South series win over UNC Asheville. Ryan opened his week with a 2-3 day that featured a double, homer and 3 RBI in Longwood’s 24-1 win over Norfolk State last Tuesday. He was 2-4 with three runs scored and two walks in the 14-3 series opening win over Asheville, followed by a solo home run in game two, and two hits in the finale, including a triple.
Gainey earned a 4-0 victory over James Madison on Friday in the best outing of his career. He went 7.1 innings, allowed just three hits (all singles) and fanned seven batters without issuing a walk.
Honeycutt went 1-0 with a 0.00 earned run average in 5.2 innings of relief with seven strikeouts. He gave up an unearned run in two innings of work against Lafayette last Tuesday, and was the winning pitcher in Asheville’s 7-3 victory at Longwood on Saturday. Honeycutt struck out six Lancers and did not allow a run in 3.2 innings.
Holguin picked up a win and a save in two appearances on the hill, and went 1-1 at the plate with a run scored at Georgia. He earned the save in Upstate’s 8-3 win over Cincinnati last Monday as he struck out six batters in 2.2 innings of work. Against Presbyterian on Sunday, Holguin scattered two base hits and fanned two batters in 3.1 innings to earn the relief win, 5-4.
Also nominated for Player of the Week: Jarrod Belbin (Campbell), Jack Gorman (Presbyterian), Tylan Reece (UNC Asheville), Damon Maynard (USC Upstate) and Dillon Morton (Winthrop).
Also nominated for Starting Pitcher of the Week: Thomas Harrington (Campbell), Jerry Couch (Charleston Southern), Joe Simeone (Gardner-Webb), Cole Taylor (Longwood), Jaheim Brown (North Carolina A&T), Ryan Douglas (UNC Asheville) and Trey Miller (USC Upstate).
Also nominated for Relief Pitcher of the Week: Everett Vaughan (High Point), Sean Gibbons (Longwood) and Al Holguin (USC Upstate).
Also nominated for Freshman of the Week: Everett Vaughan (High Point), Kevin Warunek (Longwood), Jaheim Brown (North Carolina A&T), Corbin Lanowitz (USC Upstate) and Jack Spyke (Winthrop).