SPARTANBURG, S.C. – UNCG outfielder L.J. Kalawaia and right-hander Matt Frisbee have been named the Southern Conference player and pitcher of the week, respectively, for all games April 11-17. The selections are made by the league office.
Kalawaia hit .600 and slugged 1.150 with 18 RBIs in five games on the week, while Frisbee pitched a complete-game shutout as the Spartans went 3-2, splitting a midweek home-and-home with Wake Forest and taking two of three from Furman on the road.
Kalawaia was 1-for-3 with two walks in UNCG’s 6-4 loss to Wake Forest on Tuesday and helped the Spartans to an 18-3 win over the Demon Deacons the following day with three hits, two walks, two runs and five RBIs, with three coming on a bases-clearing triple.
Against the Paladins over the weekend, Kalawaia was 8-for-13 (.615) with 13 RBIs in the three contests. On Friday, the redshirt senior from Wailuku, Hawai’i, was 2-for-4 with a double and three RBIs. He went 3-for-4 with five RBIs and three runs scored Saturday, belting another RBI triple, and closed his week with two homers and another five RBIs in his third three-hit game of the week.
Also nominated: Bret Hines (The Citadel), Kyle Lewis (Mercer), Austin Edens (Samford), Matt Smith (Western Carolina) and Brett Hash (Wofford).
Frisbee turned in the first shutout of his career Sunday, allowing just two hits and four walks as the Spartans cruised to the 14-0 win, which finished in seven innings due to the 10-run rule. The freshman, who struck out five and didn’t allow an extra-base hit, settled in after issuing all four walks in the first three innings.
The Candler, N.C., native retired 11 straight batters from the third to seventh innings, and after allowing a single and seeing a batter reach on the error with one out in the seventh, struck out the final two batters swinging to end the contest.
UNCG returns to action Wednesday at former league rival Elon before opening a seven-game homestand with a weekend SoCon series against ETSU.
Also nominated: Connor Herd (Mercer), Stephen Jones (Samford), Colton Davis (Western Carolina) and Jordan Accetta (Wofford).
2016 SoCon Players of the Week
Feb. 22 Heath Quinn, Samford
Feb. 29 Heath Quinn, Samford
March 7 Kyle Lewis, Mercer
March 14 Peyton Maddox, VMI
March 21 Bryson Bowman, Western Carolina
March 28 Kramer Ferrell, Western Carolina
April 4 Carter Grote, Furman
April 11 Kramer Ferrell, Western Carolina
April 18 L.J. Kalawaia, UNCG
2016 SoCon Pitchers of the Week
Feb. 22 JP Sears, The Citadel
Feb. 29 Ryan Askew, Mercer
March 7 Josh Winder, VMI
March 14 Matthew Milburn, Wofford
March 21 Tristan Baker, Western Carolina
March 28 JP Sears, The Citadel
April 4 Andrew Wantz, UNCG
April 11 Parker Curry, Samford
April 18 Matt Frisbee, UNCG
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