SPARTANBURG, S.C. – Furman third baseman Jake Crawford and ETSU right-hander Micah Kaczor have been named the Southern Conference player and pitcher of the week, respectively, for all games Feb. 16-18. The selections are made by the league office. Kaczor was also named one of Collegiate Baseball's Players of the Week on Monday.
Furman’s Crawford hit .778, going 7-for-9 from the plate with one home run and three RBIs as Furman began the season 3-0. Crawford started the season opener and series finale at third base, serving as the starting pitcher (no decision) in game two of the series sweep against Marist.
Crawford, a junior from Honea Path, South Carolina, opened up the season going 3-for-5 while picking up an assist in the Paladins’ 13-4 win on Friday. Starting game two of the series, Crawford threw four innings, allowing just one earned run while striking out eight batters as Furman edged out Marist 5-4. In game three, Crawford was a perfect 4-for-4 from the plate, including a three-run home run as Furman defeated Marist 7-6 on Sunday.
As a sophomore, Crawford started 51 games at third base, batting .309 with two home runs and 32 RBIs. Crawford was a member of the 2016 SoCon all-freshman team and was named to the 2017 SoCon Academic Honor Roll.
Furman will face Clemson on the road on Tuesday before traveling to NC State for a three-game tilt with the Wolfpack this weekend.
Also nominated: Caleb Longley (ETSU), Cesar Trejo (UNCG), JT Thomas (Mercer), Anthony Mulrine (Samford), Andrew Bullock (Western Carolina), Nathan Eaton (VMI) and Mack Nathanson (Wofford).
ETSU’s Kaczor threw six innings in the season-opener for the Bucs, allowing zero earned runs on just two hits. The junior from Tampa, Florida, struck out 12 batters, picking up the 6-2 win against Northern Kentucky on Friday. Kaczor retired the first 10 batters he faced, holding Northern Kentucky hitters to a .091 batting average. For his efforts, Kaczor was also named Collegiate Baseball Player of the Week.
A transfer from St. Petersburg, Kaczor posted a record of 5-2 with an ERA of 3.06 for the Titans last season. Kazcor, who debuted for the Bucs on Friday, didn’t walk a single batter and gave up just one extra-base hit.
ETSU (2-1) will hit the road this weekend, traveling to Florida Gulf Coast for a three game series beginning on Friday at 6:30 p.m.
Also nominated: Dylan Spence (The Citadel), Andrew Wantz (UNCG), Robert Broom (Mercer), Zack Franklin (Western Carolina) and Grant Byers (Wofford).
2018 SoCon Players of the Week
Feb. 19 Jake Crawford, Furman
2018 SoCon Pitchers of the Week
Feb. 19 Micah Kaczor, ETSU
-www.SoConSports.com-