SPARTANBURG, S.C. – Western Carolina infielder Zach Ketterman and ETSU right-hander Zach Kirby have been named the Southern Conference player and pitcher of the week, respectively, for all games from March 7-13. The selections, which are the fourth of the 2022 campaign, are made by the league office.
 
Ketterman started in four games last week, driving in six total runs and batting .529 with three doubles and four RBIs in the Catamounts’ games against Presbyterian, Kansas, Michigan State and Cincinnati. He started the week by going 3-for-6 with three runs, one double and one RBI in Western Carolina’s 15-2 victory over the Blue Hose on Wednesday, March 9, before going 1-for-4 with one RBI in the Catamounts’ 6-3 win over Kansas in Western Carolina’s opener at the First Pitch Invitational on Friday, March 11. In the Catamounts’ 5-2 loss to the Spartans on Saturday, March 12, the sophomore infielder was one of two Catamounts to register a two-hit outing, going 2-for-4 with one double. He finished the week with a 3-for-3, three-run performance on Sunday, March 13, recording one RBI and one walk in the Catamounts’ 8-6 victory over the Bearcats in the final game of the invite. The Biglerville, Pennsylvania, native went 9-for-17 on the week and boasted a .550 on-base percentage, while also finishing the week with six assists in the field.
 
Western Carolina (7-7) plays its fifth consecutive game away from home this week, traveling to Winston-Salem, North Carolina, to face off against Wake Forest (13-3) at David F. Couch Ballpark on March 15 for a 5 p.m. ET game.
 
Kirby threw seven total innings in his only appearance for ETSU last week, striking out six batters and allowing only two hits in the Buccaneers’ 2-1 win over Rider on Friday, March 11. The senior from Upland, California, retired the first eight batters of the game, three via punchout, and faced the minimum in his final four innings. Kirby also tied his career-long outing, matching his seven innings pitched in ETSU’s 11-1 win over Samford on May 20, 2021.
 
ETSU (10-3) hosts two midweek games this week, welcoming Radford to Thomas Stadium in Johnson City, Tennessee, on Tuesday at 3 p.m. ET before hosting Lafayette on Wednesday at 6 p.m. ET.
 
Also nominated for player of the week: Noah Mitchell (The Citadel), Tommy Barth (ETSU), Mitchell Smith (UNCG), Brett Cook (VMI) and Brennen Dorighi (Wofford).
 
Also nominated for pitcher of the week: Devin Beckley (The Citadel), Sam Murchison (UNCG), Jacob Cravey (Samford), Will Riley (VMI), Zach Franklin (Western Carolina) and Matthew Marchal (Wofford).
 
2022 SoCon Players of the Week
Feb. 21             Hogan Windish, Jr., INF, UNCG
Feb. 28             Cole Simpson, Sr., OF, The Citadel
March 7             Justin Starke, R-So., INF, VMI
March 14          Zach Ketterman, So., INF, Western Carolina
 
2022 SoCon Pitchers of the Week
Feb. 21             Tyler Bradt, R-So., VMI
Feb. 28             Tyler Bradt, R-So., VMI
March 7             Matthew Marchal, Jr., Wofford
March 14           Zach Kirby, Sr., ETSU