SPARTANBURG, S.C. - Samford first baseman Saxon Butler has been named the Southern Conference Baseball Player of the Week while Wofford left-handed pitcher Cash Collins has been selected as the league's Pitcher of the Week for all games from May 14-20.
Butler batted .438 (7-for-16) with three home runs and seven RBIs in Samford's four games last week, all coming against Top 25 opponents. The senior first baseman hit a home run in each of Samford's three games at No. 24 Oklahoma over the weekend to push his season total to 14 for the year. Butler also had two hits and drove in a pair of runs in Tuesday night's 12-7 win over No. 3 Florida. He recorded a run scored and a run batted in in all four games while amassing a 1.063 slugging percentage. The honor is Butler's third of the season.
In his final career start for Wofford, senior Cash Collins threw a complete game and allowed only four hits to earn a 3-1 victory of Georgia Southern in the Terriers' season finale. The one run allowed was unearned in the first inning. The effort marked Collins' fourth career complete game (second this season), and he ends his career eighth in school history in innings pitched with 243.1 and 10th in career wins (15). The senior followed Saturday's exploits by graduating on Sunday with a degree in mathematics and a minor in business.
Other hitters receiving consideration were Tyler Zupcic (Appalachian State), Brandon Glazer (College of Charleston), Drew Gadaire (Davidson), Alex Swim (Elon), Taylor Johnson (Furman), Eric Phillips (Georgia Southern), Julian Ridings (Western Carolina) and James Foster (Wofford).
Other top performers among pitchers were Seth Grant (Appalachian State), Christian Powell (College of Charleston), Austin Pritcher (The Citadel), Ryan Overcash (Davidson), Dylan Clark (Elon), Justin Hess (Georgia Southern), C.K. Irby (Samford) and Morgan McKinney (Western Carolina).
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
May 7 Phillip Ervin, Samford
May 14 Daniel Aldrich, College of Charleston
May 21 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
May 7 Stephen Gary, Furman
May 14 Jordan Smith, Western Carolina
May 21 Cash Collins, Wofford