SPARTANBURG, S.C. ? College of Charleston designated hitter Rob Kral has been named the Southern Conference Baseball Player of the Week while teammate Kevin Decker has been selected as the league’s Pitcher of the Week for all games from March 15-21.
Kral had a career day at the plate on Friday evening, hitting three home runs with five RBIs in the Cougars’ series-opening win at UNC Greensboro. Kral's three home run output ties the program's record for home runs in a game with four others, including current head coach Monte Lee (1999). The sophomore had at least one RBI in all five games for the Cougars this week as CofC went 5-0. He had four multi-hit games, 10 RBIs and slugged 1.000 as CofC improved to 17-5 overall and 4-2 in the SoCon.
Decker went 2-0 in two appearances this week, coming out of the bullpen to pick up the victory versus No. 8 Coastal Carolina and then making his first start at UNC Greensboro. The senior right-hander allowed only three hits in nine total innings, highlighted by two frames of hitless, shutout ball against the nationally-ranked Chants on Tuesday. He followed that by allowing two runs on three hits in seven innings of work against the Spartans on Saturday afternoon. Decker held opponents to a .103 batting average, giving up two singles and a double over 34 batters.
Other hitters receiving consideration were Mac Doyle (Wofford), Wes Hobson (Appalachian State), Andrew Barna (Davidson), Mike Melillo (Elon), David Schulze (Samford), Kyle Jordan (The Citadel), Kevin Bowles (Georgia Southern) and Austin Schultz (Western Carolina).
Other top performers among pitchers were Asher Wojciechowski (The Citadel), Kyle Putkonen (Samford), Taylor Miller (Appalachian State), Daniel Ottone (Western Carolina), Jake Brown (Georgia Southern) and J.D. Osborne (Wofford).
2010 SoCon Baseball Players of the Week
Feb. 22 Corey Overholtzer, UNC Greensboro
March 1 Andrew Barna, Davidson
March 8 Will Owens, Furman
March 15 David Schulze, Samford
March 22 Rob Kral, College of Charleston
2010 SoCon Baseball Pitchers of the Week
Feb. 22 Asher Wojciechowski, The Citadel
March 1 Matt Andress, Appalachian State
March 8 Jason Sullivan, Western Carolina
March 15 Asher Wojciechowski, The Citadel
March 22 Kevin Decker, College of Charleston