Big South Announces Baseball Players of the Week - March 27

Big South Announces Baseball Players of the Week - March 27

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CHARLOTTE, N.C. (www.BigSouthSports.com) – Campbell’s Jarrod Belbin (South Morang, Australia) has been named the Big South Baseball Player of the Week, while UNC Asheville’s Clay Edmondson (Greensboro, N.C.) is the Starting Pitcher of the Week for games played March 20-26, it was announced today. In addition, Presbyterian College’s Tanner Smith (Laurens, S.C.) was selected the Relief Pitcher of the Week, while Winthrop’s Nicholas Badillo (Mohengan, N.Y.) is the Freshman of the Week honoree.

In four games, Belbin belted four home runs and batted .500 (8-16) with eight runs scored, 13 RBI, two doubles and a 1.375 slugging percentage. He also walked once, had one stolen base and registered a .474 on-base average. Belbin went 1-3 with a run in Campbell’s ranked win over No. 10 East Carolina on Wednesday before going on a tear in the three-game series at Radford over the weekend. Belbin went 1-3 with a home run and two RBI in Friday’s 13-2 victory over the Highlanders, then 1-3 with a home run, two runs scored and four RBI in Saturday’s 25-6 win. He then wrapped up his week with two home runs and two doubles on Sunday while tallying five hits, four runs and seven RBI to lead the Camels to a sweep of Radford. 

Edmondson tossed 7.0 innings of shutout baseball in a 12-0 win over Longwood on Friday night. He scattered only four hits and allowed just one walk, striking out six batters to earn his fifth win of the season. He retired the side in four separate innings, including in each of his final three innings of work. 

Smith earned two saves in 3.1 scoreless innings out of the bullpen. He walked only one batter, yielded just one hit overall and struck out a combined six batters in three appearances. Smith allowed the only hit against him last week while striking out three in 1.1 innings against Davidson on Tuesday. He then toed the rubber twice in three games against Charleston Southern, earning saves on back-to-back days on Friday and Saturday. He struck out two in Friday’s 6-3 win and one in Saturday’s narrow 2-1 victory while not allowing a single hit during either save opportunity. 

Badillo hit a home run and batted .500 (5-10) with a run scored, two RBI and a pair of multi-hit games. He also had a double, one walk and a stolen base. Badillo opened the week by going 2-3 with a homer and two RBI at Clemson on Tuesday, tying the game in the second inning with his two-run blast. He then added a second two-hit game and a double on Saturday before capping off the weekend by going 1-3 with a walk and a stolen base to help Winthrop win the series over Gardner-Webb on Sunday. 

Also nominated for Player of the Week: Mark Black (Gardner-Webb), Eliot Dix (Longwood), Michael Groves (UNC Asheville), Troy Hamilton (USC Upstate) and McKinley Erves (Winthrop). 

Also nominated for Starting Pitcher of the Week: Cade Kuehler (Campbell), Andrew Potojecki (Longwood) and Henry Proger (USC Upstate).

Also nominated for Relief Pitcher of the Week: Aaron Rund (Campbell), Eddie Olsen (Charleston Southern), Connor Maggi (Gardner-Webb), Loy Hickmon (Longwood) and Jake Cubbler (USC Upstate). 

Also nominated for Freshman of the Week: Ethan Barnes (Longwood).