SPARTANBURG, S.C. - College of Charleston third baseman Matt Leeds and Elon second baseman Sebastian Gomez have been named the Southern Conference Baseball Co-Players of the Week while Elon pitcher Thomas Girdwood has been selected as the league's Pitcher of the Week for all games from April 25 - May 1.
Leeds powered the Cougars to a three-game series sweep at Wofford over the weekend, batting .538 with three extra-base hits, six runs driven in and six runs scored. The junior from Boca Raton, Fla., was a perfect 6-for-6 in Saturday's 24-6 win, setting a season-high in hits for the league and coming within one of trying the all-time conference record. He also swiped a pair of bases and played error-free ball at third base.
Gomez, a freshman from Miramar, Fla., recorded at least two hits in all five games last week as the Phoenix split a midweek series with Wake Forest and swept Davidson in SoCon action. He added eight RBIs and scored seven runs while also notching three stolen bases. Paced by Gomez, Elon clinched its 12th consecutive 30-win season over the weekend.
Girdwood set career highs with 10 strikeouts in 8.0 innings of work as Elon downed Davidson, 8-2, on Saturday. The senior and native of Charlotte, N.C., did not allow a hit in his final four innings of work and retired 10 of the final 11 hitters he faced. The converted closer who is the SoCon's career saves leader surrendered just one run and no extra-base hits in his sixth career start.
Other hitters receiving consideration were Samford's Phillip Ervin, The Citadel's Josh Pless, Davidson's James Cerbie, Georgia Southern's Eric Phillips, UNCG's Trevor Edwards, Western Carolina's Matt John's and Wofford's Mac Doyle.
Other top performers among pitchers were UNCG's Colby Hyatt, Samford's Josh Martin, Georgia Southern's Chris Beck, College of Charleston's Casey Lucchese, The Citadel's Matt Talley, Davidson's Danny Mooney, Western Carolina's Matt Benedict and Wofford's John Cornely.
2011 SoCon Baseball Players of the Week
Feb. 21 Ross Heffley, Western Carolina
Feb. 28 Steve Cochrane, Georgia Southern
March 7 Neal Pritchard, Elon
March 14 Mac Doyle, Wofford
March 21 Saxon Butler, Samford
March 28 Mac Doyle, Wofford
April 4 Victor Roache, Georgia Southern
April 11 Daniel Aldrich, College of Charleston
April 18 Victor Roache, Georgia Southern
April 25 Stephen Notaro, Western Carolina
May 2 Matt Leeds, College of Charleston
Sebastian Gomez, Elon
2011 SoCon Baseball Pitchers of the Week
Feb. 21 Tyler Wood, Furman
Feb. 28 Lawrence Pardo, Appalachian State
March 7 Chris Lamb, Davidson
March 14 Chris Beck, Georgia Southern
March 21 Dylan Cole, Furman
March 28 Lex Rutledge, Samford
April 4 Ryan Arrowood, Appalachian State
April 11 Nathan Hyatt, Appalachian State
April 18 Ryan Arrowood, Appalachian State
Logan Cribb, The Citadel
April 25 Taylor Miller, Appalachian State
May 2 Thomas Girdwood, Elon