BASEBALL: UT Martin’s Kerwin, Vanderbilt’s Wright garner TSWA accolades
NASHVILLE, Tenn. – UT Martin’s Dan Kerwin and Vanderbilt’s Kyle Wright were named the Baseball Player and Pitcher of the Week, respectively, by the Tennessee Sports Writers Association on Wednesday for their performances for April May 1-7.
In four games last week, Kerwin hit .500 (10-for-20) with eight runs scored, three doubles, three home runs and nine RBIs. The Bradenton, Fla., native singled, walked and scored three times against Union University and opened a three-game series at Eastern Illinois with three hits, including a homer, and two runs scored.
The senior hit a pair of home runs and drove in five runs in the second game of the series with the Panthers and capped the week with a 4-for-5 effort with two doubles and three RBIs in the series finale. He is batting .323 with 14 doubles, eight home runs, 34 RBIs and 27 runs scored in 43 games after Tuesday’s contest.
Wright allowed just three hits and one run in nine innings against Missouri, walking one and matching his career-best with 13 strikeouts but got no decision in a 12-inning loss. The Huntsville, Ala., native took a no-hitter into the seventh inning the previous week versus Tennessee and tossed a three-hit shutout against Florida in mid-April. The righthander worked seven shutout frames at Georgia in April as well and has given up five total runs with 30 strikeouts in 32.1 innings over his last four starts. He is 1-1 with two no decisions over the last four weeks.
Wright is 2-5 with a 3.35 ERA in 12 appearances this season, tossing 75.1 innings. He has allowed 60 hits with 82 strikeouts and opponents are batting just .216 against him.
2017 TSWA BASEBALL PLAYERS OF THE WEEK
February 14 – Ryan Addington, Carson-Newman (Player); Travis Dohr, Cumberland University (Pitcher)
February 21 – Nolen Milton, Union University (Player); Evan Heffner, Maryville College (Pitcher)
February 28 – Collin Harris, Tennessee Tech (Player); Brady Puckett, Lipscomb (Pitcher)
March 8 – Wade Weinburger, Bryan College (Player); Michael Wood, Tennessee Tech (Pitcher)
March 15 – Ryan Flick, Tennessee Tech (Player); Alex Robles, Austin Peay (Pitcher)
March 21 – Austin Krajnak, Cumberland University (Player); JR Miller, Union University (Pitcher)
March 29 – Matt Jones, Tennessee Tech (Player); Trey Sledge, Rhodes College (Pitcher)
April 6 – J.P. Castaneda, King University (Player); Octavio Mirabal, King University (Pitcher)
April 11 – Ryan Kemp, Middle Tennessee (Player); Matt Ruppenthal, Vanderbilt (Pitcher)
April 18 – Paul Kirby, Carson-Newman (Player); Kyle Wright, Vanderbilt (Pitcher)
April 26 – Nick Egli, Belmont (Player); Blake Glaudeb, Rhodes College (Pitcher)
May 2 – Alex Robles, Austin Peay (Player); Denton Norman, Lipscomb (Pitcher)
SOFTBALL: Belmont’s Spicer, Lee named TSWA award winners
NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Belmont University’s Jordan Spicer and Brooklin Lee were named the Softball Player and Pitcher of the Week, respectively, by the Tennessee Sports Writers Association on Wednesday for their performances for May 1-7.
Spicer batted .700 (7-for-10) with a double, two home runs, seven RBIs and two runs scored in four games. The Hendersonville, Tenn., native was 3-for-3 with a double, a homer and two RBIs versus Southeast Missouri. She also homered and drove in four runs in the first game of a doubleheader with Tennessee State. The sophomore is batting .324 with three doubles, five home runs, 25 RBIs and nine runs scored in 42 games this season for the Bruins.
Lee won the Pitcher of the Week award for the third time this season, picking up a pair of wins and 17 strikeouts while allowing two earned runs in 14.0 innings of work. The Burns, Tenn., native allowed two runs on five hits with six strikeouts in a victory at Murray State and then struck out 11 while giving up just three hits and two unearned runs against Tennessee State.
The freshman hurler moved into the top spot on Belmont’s single-season strikeout list with 172 heading into this week’s OVC Championships, breaking a mark set in 2008. Lee is 17-9 with a 2.39 ERA in 30 games this season, tossing 161.0 innings. She has allowed 127 hits with 172 strikeouts and opponents are batting just .215 against her.
2017 TSWA SOFTBALL PLAYERS OF THE WEEK
February 14 – Lexi Cushing, Middle Tennessee (Player); Brooklin Lee, Belmont (Pitcher)
February 21 – Chelsey Deloney, Belmont (Player); McCarley Thomas, Lipscomb (Pitcher)
February 28 – Ashley Scott, Union University (Player); Mandy Jordan, Lipscomb (Pitcher)
March 8 – Morgan Brewer, Maryville College (Player); Hayley Smothers, King University (Pitcher)
March 15 – Kay Brokering, King University (Player); Nicole Blackburn, Maryville College (Pitcher)
March 21 – Jess Andree, Belmont (Player); Mandy Jordan, Lipscomb (Pitcher)
March 29 – Taylor Scott, Carson-Newman (Player); Savannah Carr, Trevecca University (Pitcher)
April 6 – Paige Robertson, Union University (Player); Lacie Rinus, Carson-Newman (Pitcher)
April 11 – Alex Richardson, Trevecca University (Player); Brooke Kennedy, UT Martin (Pitcher)
April 18 – Emily Bennett, Union University (Player); Lacie Rinus, Carson-Newman (Pitcher)
April 26 – Jodie Duncan, UT Martin (Player); Brooklin Lee, Belmont (Pitcher)
May 2 – Jodie Duncan, UT Martin (Player); Lacie Rinus, Carson-Newman (Pitcher)