SPARTANBURG, S.C. – Mercer outfielder Jackson Ware and The Citadel right-hander Dylan Spence have been named the Southern Conference player and pitcher of the week, respectively, for all games March 26 to April 1. The selections are made by the league office.
Ware batted .526 with nine RBIs and five runs scored in four wins last week for Mercer. In the Bears’ midweek contest against Florida A&M on Tuesday, the Statesboro, Georgia, native had three hits, four RBIs and two runs scored as Mercer was victorious 13-4. In the series opener against ETSU on Thursday, the senior was a perfect 4-for-4 from the plate as the Bears topped the Bucs 10-4. Ware’s performance on Friday helped Mercer edge out ETSU 5-3, registering two hits and scoring one run. Ware capped off his impressive week on Saturday with a hit, a run and an RBI as the Bears completed a series-sweep over ETSU, winning 8-4.
Ware, who has seen time at both infield and outfield this season, is batting .330 with 27 runs scored and 25 runs batted in so far in 2018.
Spence earned a win for The Citadel on Friday, throwing seven scoreless innings as the Bulldogs topped the Keydets 5-0. The junior from Belton, South Carolina, fanned seven batters while walking just three. The seven strikeouts were a season-high for Spence as he picked up his second consecutive victory. This marks the second week in a row that a Bulldog right-hander has been named pitcher of the week, with junior Jordan Buster winning the award on March 26.
Spence, who leads The Citadel in earned run average (2.51) and innings pitched (46 2/3), ranks third and fifth in the SoCon in those categories, respectively.
Mercer will travel to Savannah State on Tuesday with first pitch scheduled for 6 p.m. The Citadel will travel to Georgia Southern on Tuesday, facing the Eagles at 6 p.m.
Also nominated for Player of the Week: William Kinney (The Citadel), Andrew Moritz (UNCG), Ayrton Schafer (Samford), Matt Pita (VMI), Justice Bigbie (Western Carolina) and Colin Davis (Wofford).
Also nominated for Pitcher of the Week: Austin Cox (Mercer), Bryce Hensley (UNCG), Wyatt Burns (Samford), Zach Franklin (Western Carolina) and Adam Scott (Wofford).
2018 SoCon Players of the Week
Feb. 19 Jake Crawford, Furman
Feb. 26 Matt Dunlevy, VMI
March 5 Matt Pita, VMI
March 12 Cesar Trejo, UNCG
March 19 Trey Truitt, Mercer
March 26 Caleb Webster, UNCG
April 2 Jackson Ware, Mercer
2018 SoCon Pitchers of the Week
Feb. 19 Micah Kaczor, ETSU
Feb. 26 Samuel Strickland, Samford
March 5 Samuel Strickland, Samford
March 12 Jack Maynard, UNCG
March 19 Adam Scott, Wofford
March 26 Jordan Buster, The Citadel
April 2 Dylan Spence, The Citadel
-www.SoConSports.com-