SPARTANBURG, S.C. – Western Carolina shortstop Pascanel Ferreras and Mercer right-hander Jackson Kelley have been named the Southern Conference player and pitcher of the week, respectively, for all games from April 25 to May 1. The selections, the first for both Ferreras and Kelley, are made by the league office.
 
Ferreras led the Western Carolina offense in his four starts for the Catamounts last week, batting .500 and scoring five total runs with three doubles, four home runs and eight RBIs in Western Carolina’s midweek game against Presbyterian and the Catamounts’ weekend conference series against VMI. He began the week by going 1-for-5 with one walk in Western Carolina’s 8-11 loss to the Blue Hose on Wednesday, April 27, before going 3-for-4 with one double, one home run, one run scored and two RBIs in the Catamounts’ 7-6 series-opening win over the Keydets on Friday, April 29, and 2-for-5 with one double, one home run, one run scored and three RBIs in Western Carolina’s 8-14 loss to VMI the following day. Ferreras closed out the weekend by going 3-for-4 in the Catamounts’ series-clinching, extra-inning 8-5 series-finale win to the Keydets on Sunday, with the sophomore infielder batting in three runners and hitting a game-tying home run in the sixth inning to mark his second round-tripper of the contest and collect his fourth two-homer game in his Western Carolina career. The Stone Mountain, Georgia, native drew three walks and concluded the week with a .591 on-base percentage and a 1.333 slugging percentage. Ferreras was also listed among Collegiate Baseball’s National Players of the Week, powered by Diamond Sports (www.diamond-sports.com), released on Monday morning.
 
Kelley threw six innings in his three appearances on the mound for Mercer this week, striking out five batters and allowing no runs and one walk in the Bears’ 17-10 nonconference win over Jacksonville State on Wednesday and Mercer’s two series victories over ETSU on Friday and Saturday. The junior hurler tossed one inning in the Bears’ win over the Gamecocks, recording one strikeout in the victory before throwing three innings with three strikeouts in Mercer’s series-opener against the Bucs to earn the win. He pitched two innings in Mercer’s 6-3 series finale victory, allowing only one hit and finishing with one strikeout to earn the save. The Acworth, Georgia, native, surrendered just two total hits on the week, with his win marking his sixth of the 2022 campaign.
 
Western Carolina (20-23, 5-7 SoCon) opens a four-game homestand this week, welcoming USC Upstate to Cullowhee, North Carolina, on Wednesday, May 4, for a nonconference game against the Spartans at 6 p.m. ET before hosting Mercer (35-9, 9-3 SoCon) for a conference series against the Bears on May 6-8. The Bears do not play a midweek game this week.

Also nominated for player of the week: Tommy Barth (ETSU), David Burke (Mercer), Dallas Callahan (UNCG), Will David (Samford), Zac Morris (VMI) and Lawson Hill (Wofford).

Also nominated for pitcher of the week: Austin Parsley (UNCG), Michael Ross (Samford), Zebby Matthews (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
March 21           John Dempsey, Sr., INF, Wofford
March 28           Ryan McCarthy, Gr., OF, The Citadel
April 4                Brennen Dorighi, Sr., OF/INF, Wofford
April 11              Bryce Hodge, Sr., INF, ETSU
April 18              Angelo DiSpigna, Jr., INF, Mercer
April 25             Brennen Dorighi, Sr., OF/INF, Wofford
May 2                Pascanel Ferreras, So., SS, 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
March 21           Devin Beckley, Gr., The Citadel
March 28           Dalton Rhadans, Sr., Wofford
April 4                Josh Vitus, 5th, Wofford
April 11              Michael Ross, So., Samford
April 18              Dalton Rhadans, Sr., Wofford
April 25             Josh Vitus, 5th, Wofford
May 2                Jackson Kelley, Jr., Mercer