SPARTANBURG, S.C. - College of Charleston right fielder Daniel Aldrich and Samford first baseman Saxon Butler have been named the Southern Conference Baseball Co-Players of the Week while Elon left-handed pitcher Spencer Medick has been selected as the league's Pitcher of the Week for all games from April 23-29.
Aldrich led the Cougars with a .500 (4-for-8) weekend including three home runs and five RBIs in a game one win over Western Carolina. He set new career high in both home runs and RBIs as he drove in every run in a 5-4 victory. Aldrich was also walked four times on the weekend for an on-base percentage of .667, and he finished the weekend with a 1.625 slugging percentage.
Butler led Samford with a .429 (9-for-21) average with two doubles, a triple, three home runs and 11 RBIs in helping the Bulldogs to a 4-1 record in five games last week. Butler was particularly strong in the Bulldogs' SoCon series sweep at Davidson as he hit .500 (7-for-14) with a double, a triple, two homers and eight RBIs.
Medick posted a 0.93 ERA in 9.2 innings of work during the week, including working into the 10th inning in Sunday's 3-1 Elon win over UNCG. After striking out a batter against UNC Wilmington on Wednesday, Medick logged 9.1 innings on the mound in Sunday's series finale, striking out a career-high 13 Spartans while allowing one run on five hits. The junior southpaw did not walk a batter while facing just four over the minimum, but he earned a no-decision after being lifted with one out in the 10th. Medick's 9.1 innings pitched were the most in the SoCon since Wofford's Jesse Cole threw 9.2 innings against Davidson on April 9, 2005.
Other hitters receiving consideration were Preston Troutman (Appalachian State), Justin Mackert (The Citadel), Drew Gadaire (Davidson), Ryan Kinsella (Elon), Scooter Williams (Georgia Southern), Ross Heffley (Western Carolina) and Josh Hyman (Wofford).
Other top performers among pitchers were Nathan Hyatt (Appalachian State), Matt Pegler (College of Charleston), Austin Pritcher (The Citadel), Justin Hess (Georgia Southern), Joseph Burns (Samford), Morgan McKinney (Western Carolina) and Brandon Yarusi (Wofford).
2012 SoCon Baseball Players of the Week
Feb. 20 Saxon Butler, Samford
Feb. 27 Thomas Troelstrup, UNCG
March 5 Will Owens, Furman
March 12 Ross Heffley, Western Carolina
March 19 Will Callaway, Appalachian State
March 26 Brandon Murray, College of Charleston
April 2 Alex Swim, Elon
April 9 Paul Nitto, Furman
April 16 Bradley Goodson, College of Charleston
April 23 Tyler Tewell, Appalachian State
April 30 Daniel Aldrich, College of Charleston
Saxon Butler, Samford
2012 SoCon Baseball Pitchers of the Week
Feb. 20 Eric Eck, Wofford
Feb. 27 Ryan Arrowood, Appalachian State
March 5 Ryan West, College of Charleston
March 12 Josh Martin, Samford
March 19 Dylan Clark, Elon
March 26 Seth Grant, Appalachian State
April 2 Chris Beck, Georgia Southern
April 9 Brandon Yarusi, Wofford
April 16 Henry Sisson, Davidson
April 23 Cash Collins, Wofford
April 30 Spencer Medick, Elon