Frazier, Collins Named ASC Baseball Players of the Week

AMERICAN SOUTHWEST CONFERENCE BASEBALL PLAYERS OF THE WEEK

Games: April 6-11, 2021

HITTER OF THE WEEK – Garrett Frazier, OF, Jr., Hardin-Simmons

Hardin-Simmons junior outfielder Garret Frazier (Tuscola, Texas) had a massive week at the plate, going 11-for-19 (.579) with four doubles, three home runs, and 14 RBI. He had all three home runs in a 13-11 win over Sul Ross State, including the go-ahead shot in the ninth. Frazier tied the HSU and ASC record for homers in a game. He went into the weekend tied for the nation’s leader in doubles with 15 after his three-double performance at Schreiner.

PITCHER OF THE WEEK –Sayers Collins, RHP, So., East Texas Baptist

East Texas Baptist sophomore right-handed reliever Sayers Collins (Frisco, Texas) was nearly perfect in three relief appearances over 9.2 innings, earning a win and a save. He notched 18 strikeouts without allowing a hit or walk. Collins started the week with two innings of relief against No. 14 Centenary, striking out three batters. In the Tigers 5-3 win over Louisiana College, he earned the victory, coming into the fifth inning with the game tied at 3-3. Collins struck out 11 batters over the final five innings. He then earned the save in the series finale by retiring the final five batters, coming in with two runners on and one out with a 6-3 lead in the eighth.

OTHER TOP PERFORMANCES AT THE PLATE

UT Dallas freshman outfielder Marcos Villegas (Floresville, Texas) was 5-for-10 from the plate with three home runs as the Comets took 2-of-3 games at Belhaven over the weekend. Villegas opened the set at Belhaven with a 3-for-4 performance with two homers, collecting three RBI and scoring twice in a 9-1 win over the Blazers. He then closed the series by going 3-for-4 with a third long ball, scoring three runs, and knocking in two in a 16-4 Comet victory. He finished the series with five RBI and five runs scored.

East Texas Baptist junior right fielder Will Kelley (Alexandria, La.) hit .308 (4-for-13) on the week with three triples, three RBI, and five runs scored. In the series win over Louisiana College, he hit .400 with three RBI and four runs. Kelley was 2-of-3 with a pair of triples and three RBI in the series finale 10-3 win over the Wildcats.

McMurry senior second baseman Javier Rosa (Justin, Texas) led the War Hawks with a .421 average (8-for-19) in four games. He also recorded a home run, five RBI, three runs, and two steals. Rosa had four hits in the series finale with Concordia Texas and drove in four with a home run in a non-conference loss to Wayland Baptist.

Belhaven senior first baseman Trip Benson (Ripley, Texas) hit .571 (4-for-7) with a double, three RBI, and two runs scored in two games against UT Dallas.

LeTourneau senior right fielder Bryce Brueggemeyer (Midlothian, Texas) hit .583 (7-for-12) with a double, home run, five RBI, and two runs scored as the YellowJackets went 2-1 against Ozarks. He hit a walk-off two-run double with two outs in the ninth to earn the 5-4 win against the Eagles. He was 4-for-5 with two RBI in the win. Brueggemeyer went 3-for-4 with a first-inning home run in a 7-2 victory.

Mary Hardin-Baylor junior first baseman Malek Bolin (Fort Worth, Texas) had a pair of multiple-hit games as he hit .412 (7-for-17) with two doubles, a triple, five RBI, and three runs scored as the Cru went 2-2 on the week.

Concordia Texas senior outfielder Bret Leiferman (Round Rock, Texas) hit .667 (6-for-9) with a double, home run, four RBI, and three runs scored as the Tornados won the series against McMurry. He had a double and home run in the opening 3-2 win. Leiferman was 3-for-3 at the plate with a run scored and two RBI in the 15-6 victory.

Ozark’s junior outfielder Rey Lozano (Lavaca, Ark.) hit .538 (7-for-13) with two doubles, one RBI, and three runs scored over four games.

Howard Payne junior catcher/designated hitter Rylee McGee (Freeport, Texas) went 5-for-9 (.556) with a double, two RBI, and two runs scored in a three-game series with Mary Hardin-Baylor.

Sul Ross State sophomore second baseman Jalen Benton (Lubbock, Texas) hit .636 (7-for-11) with two doubles, two home runs, seven RBI, seven runs scored, and two stolen bases as the Lobos won the series against Hardin-Simmons. He was 3-for-4 with a home run and two RBI in the 13-11 loss. He added a home run and four RBI in the 25-18 finale win.

OTHER TOP PERFORMANCES ON THE MOUND

UT Dallas junior right-hander Carter Cochrane (Houston, Texas) improved to 5-0 this spring as he spun all 7.0 innings while giving up one run on two hits in a 9-1 win over Belhaven to open a three-game road series with Blazers. Cochrane struck out three without issuing a walk while taking a perfect game into the sixth inning. He allowed his lone run on two hits in the sixth before sitting down the Blazers in order in the seventh.

Belhaven sophomore righty Brett Sanchez (Slidell, La.) threw a complete game 6-2 win over UT Dallas, striking out eight and walking just two with three hits allowed over nine frames.

McMurry junior righty Derek Hostas (Iowa Park, Texas) earned a quality start win against Concordia Texas, allowing one run, six hits, and three walks with three strikeouts over six innings in the War Hawks’ 3-2 win over the Tornados.

LeTourneau senior right-hander Kolton Eberlan (Lufkin, Texas) went 1-0 in three relief appearances in the series against Ozarks. He allowed no hits with two strikeouts and two walks over 2.1 innings.

Concordia Texas junior left-hander East Migl (Flatonia, Texas) settled down after a rough first inning against McMurry in a no-decision effort. He struck out 10, allowing five hits, a walk, and one earned run in over six innings in the 3-2 win for the Tornados.

Howard Payne junior righty Kyle Purdes (Houston, Texas) recorded the win in a 5-4 victory over Mary Hardin-Baylor. He went eight innings, striking out five, allowing eight hits and no walks.

 

Poore, Taggard, Kelley, Wagner, Chance Earn Softball Honors

AMERICAN SOUTHWEST CONFERENCE SOFTBALL PLAYERS OF THE WEEK

Games: April 6-11, 2021

CO-EAST DIVISION HITTER OF THE WEEK – Callie Poore, C, So., LeTourneau

LeTourneau sophomore catcher Callie Poore (Whitney, Texas) hit .700 (7-for-10) with two doubles, a triple, a home run, eight RBI, and three runs scored as the YellowJackets swept Ozarks in three games. She had multiple hits in every game and drove in four runs in the 11-2 game two win.

CO-EAST DIVISION HITTER OF THE WEEK – Elizabeth Taggard, 1B, Jr., Belhaven

Belhaven junior first baseman Elizabeth Taggard (Picayune, Miss.) hit .778 (7-for-9) with a double, two home runs, nine RBI, four runs scored, and a stolen base in the No. 10 Blazers’ three-game sweep of UT-Dallas.

EAST DIVISION PITCHER OF THE WEEK – Hannah Kelley, RHP, Fr., East Texas Baptist

East Texas Baptist freshman right-hander Hannah Kelley (Belton, Texas) picked up a 7-2 complete-game win over Louisiana College, striking out six with just four hits, one walk, and no earned runs allowed. She had a no-hitter going through the first three innings and retired the side four times.

WEST DIVISION HITTER OF THE WEEK – Bailey Wagner, UT, Jr., Mary Hardin-Baylor

Mary Hardin-Baylor junior utility player Bailey Wagner (Brock, Texas) hit .900 (9-for-10) in the Cru’s three-game sweep of Howard Payne. She slugged 1.500 with seven singles, two home runs, nine RBI, and three runs scored. It is her second Hitter of the Week award of the season.

WEST DIVISION PITCHER OF THE WEEK – Bekah Chance, RHP, Sr., McMurry

McMurry senior right-handed hurler Bekah Chance (Clyde, Texas) threw the first seven innings of a shutout in a no-decision effort during the War Hawks 1-0, eight-inning win over Concordia Texas. She scattered five hits and three walks while striking out three.

OTHER TOP PERFORMANCES AT THE PLATE

UT Dallas junior second baseman Nicole Peters (Allen, Texas) went 6-for-9 from the plate Tuesday night as the Comets picked up a pair of non-conference road wins over Austin College. Peters was 2-for-4 with four RBI and two runs scored in a 17-7 win over the ‘Roos to open the doubleheader. She then went 4-for-5 from the plate with a homer, collecting four RBI and scoring three runs in a 14-7 victory.

Hardin-Simmons junior first baseman Peyton Newman (Bedford, Texas) hit .750 (6-for-8) with three doubles, three RBI, and two runs scored in a doubleheader split with Sul Ross State. She hit all three doubles in a 12-4 opening win.

East Texas Baptist freshman shortstop Tristen Maddox (Mission, Texas) hit .556 (5-for-9) with three doubles, three RBI, and two runs scored as the No. 4 Tigers swept Louisiana College. She recorded a double and RBI in each game, with a pair of multiple-hit contests. Maddox doubled in the go-ahead run in the sixth inning of the Tigers 4-2 win.

McMurry senior second baseman Savannah Flinn (Beaumont, Calif.) hit .400 (4-for-10) with two doubles and two runs scored in the War Hawks’ series win over Concordia Texas. She had a pair of hits in McMurry’s 5-3 win in game two.

Ozarks freshman first baseman Blaise English (Clarksville, Ark.) hit a home run in drove in four while going 5-for-14 (.357) in five games. She blasted her home run in a 10-7 win over Central Baptist.

Sul Ross State junior shortstop Annika Canaba (Alpine, Texas) hit .571 (4-for-7) with two doubles, a triple, two RBI, and three runs scored as the Lobos split with Hardin-Simmons. She was 3-for-4 with a double, triple, and two RBI in the 6-2 win.

OTHER TOP PERFORMANCES IN THE CIRCLE.

Hardin-Simmons freshman right-hander Kelly Shackleford (Southlake, Texas) earned the win with five innings of shutout relief in the Cowgirls’ 12-4 win over Sul Ross State. She allowed just three hits over the five frames.

Belhaven sophomore righty Kennedy Carruth (St. Francisville, La.) went 2-0 with a 0.65 ERA, throwing 8.1 innings in the No. 10 Blazers’ sweep of UT Dallas. She allowed just one earned run, five hits, and three walks while fanning 15. In the Game 1, 13-3 win, Carruth struck out the game’s first eight batters.

Mary Hardin-Baylor sophomore right-hander Bayleigh Grogan (Wimberley, Texas) picked up two wins for the Cru against Howard Payne, allowing just two runs, six hits, and one walk over 12 innings of work. She struck out eight batters in the series.

Sul Ross State senior righty Miranda Martinez (Odessa, Texas) threw a complete-game victory as the Lobos defeated Hardin-Simmons 6-2. She also was 3-for-7 with three doubles and four RBI at the plate.

LeTourneau sophomore right-hander Jade Merrell (McKinney, Texas) picked up a win in 3.2 innings of scoreless relief as the YellowJackets defeated Ozarks 9-3. With the game tied a 3-3, she allowed three walks before retiring the game’s last eight batters. Merrell also struck out three batters, including the final two.