SPARTANBURG, S.C. – Furman outfielder Carter Grote and UNCG right-hander Andrew Wantz have been named the Southern Conference player and pitcher of the week, respectively, for all games March 28 to April 3. The selections are made by the league office.
Furman’s Grote hit .600 and slugged 1.000 on the week, recording three multiple-hit contests in extending his hitting streak to seven games. The junior from Pittsburgh, Pa., scored eight runs and notched a double, triple, home run and three walks on the week. He struck out just once and recorded an on-base percentage of .684.
Against No. 17 Clemson on Tuesday, Grote was 2-for-4 with a walk, an RBI and three runs scored. In the Paladins’ weekend series at ETSU, he was 7-for-11 (.636), starting with a 1-for-4 effort with a walk in Friday’s opener. He followed that with two hits and a walk Saturday, recording a double and a stolen base and scoring once. Grote’s biggest game came Sunday, as he missed the cycle by a double and scored four runs. He also added an RBI and was hit by a pitch to reach base five times.
Furman (11-16, 3-3 SoCon) steps out of conference this week, hosting Gardner-Webb on Wednesday before heading to Morgantown, W.Va. for a three-game set against the Big 12’s West Virginia.
Also nominated: Robby McCabe (ETSU), Dillon Stewart (UNCG), Alex Lee (Samford), Matt Smith (Western Carolina) and Derek Hirsch (Wofford).
UNCG’s Wantz went 2-0 with a 1.00 ERA in nine innings over three appearances on the week, striking out 17 batters and walking just three.
Against North Carolina A&T on Tuesday, Wantz earned his first start of the season and allowed just one run on two hits and a walk in four innings of work. He struck out six in earning the win.
Wantz worked 2 1/3 innings out of the bullpen in Friday’s win over VMI, allowing just one hit and getting six of his seven outs via strikeout as the Spartans picked up a 10-4 win.
In Sunday’s series finale against the Keydets, the sophomore from Holly Springs, N.C., went 2 2/3 innings, allowing two walks and no hits and striking out five batters. Wantz entered with the bases loaded and no one out in the fifth inning and promptly shut VMI down, striking out the side to keep an inherited runner from scoring and picking up the win.
He struck out 11 Keydet batters in just 5 innings of work over two appearances in the series.
UNCG, which has already matched last season’s win total at 23-6 overall on the year, moved to the top of the SoCon standings (3-0) with the sweep of VMI. The Spartans open a five-game road swing Tuesday at Duke before heading to Charleston, S.C., for a SoCon series at The Citadel (12-17, 2-1 SoCon) this weekend.
Also nominated: Lee Haeberle (ETSU), Austin Lord (Mercer), Parker Curry (Samford), Bryan Sammons (Western Carolina) and Eilliot Lance (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
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
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