SPARTANBURG, S.C. – UNCG second baseman Austin Embler and Western Carolina left-hander Bryan Sammons have been named the Southern Conference player and pitcher of the week, respectively, for all games March 6-12. The selections are made by the league office.
UNCG’s Embler hit .545 on the week with four multi-hit contests in five tries. He drove in six runs and scored five of his own as the Spartans’ leadoff man, recording a .583 on-base percentage on the week.
The redshirt sophomore went 3-for-5 with an RBI and two runs scored in UNCG’s 12-8 win over rival Elon on Tuesday. He followed that up with another three-hit game in Friday’s series opener against Princeton, then collected three more hits in Saturday’s doubleheader, also walking twice and driving in two runs. Embler wrapped up his week with his third three-hit game in the last five games, driving in three on Sunday and scoring once. The Southern Pines, North Carolina, native had a two-run double late in the 12-3 Spartan win.
The weekly award is the first of Embler’s career.
UNCG (8-8) caps its 16-game home stand with a four-game set against Lafayette starting Friday at 4 p.m.
Also nominated: Jonathan Sabo (The Citadel), Christian Bailey (ETSU), Charlie Madden (Mercer), Austin Edens (Samford), Will Malbon (VMI), Caleb Robinson (Western Carolina) and Brett Hash (Wofford).
Western Carolina’s Sammons went 1-0 with a save and a 1.08 ERA last week against a pair of Power 5 opponents, throwing a combined 8 1/3 innings.
The senior southpaw tossed 1 1/3 innings of scoreless, hitless relief against the 20th-ranked Wolfpack on March 6, striking out two en route to earning his third career save and first since his freshman campaign.
The Wilmington, North Carolina, native then tossed seven effective innings to down Nebraska on Friday, allowing two runs (one earned) on seven hits and two walks, striking out eight, in the Catamounts’ series-opening 5-2 win.
Sammons, the winningest active pitcher in the league with 22 career victories, moved to 3-0 on the season and into a tie for eighth in WCU history in career wins.
The award is Sammons’ second. He also earned the SoCon weekly honor on April 25 of last season.
Western Carolina (7-8) returns home Wednesday to host Kennesaw State to begin a five-game home stand. The Catamounts welcome Kent State for a three-game weekend set starting Friday.
Also nominated: JP Sears (The Citadel), Jamin McCann (ETSU), Chase Burks (Mercer), Bryce Hensley (UNCG), Wyatt Burns (Samford), Matthew Eagle (VMI) and Spencer Kulman (Wofford).
2017 SoCon Players of the Week
Feb. 20 Chris Cook, ETSU
Feb. 27 Charlie Madden, Mercer
March 6 Will Malbon, VMI
March 13 Austin Embler, UNCG
2017 SoCon Pitchers of the Week
Feb. 20 Matt Frisbee, UNCG
Feb. 27 JP Sears, The Citadel
March 6 Adam Scott, Wofford
March 13 Bryan Sammons, Western Carolina
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