SPARTANBURG, S.C. – Samford first baseman Stephen Klein and Western Carolina right-hander Nick Torres have been named the Southern Conference player and pitcher of the week, respectively, for all competition from March 20-26. The awards are selected by the league office.
 
Klein hit .625, slugged 1.375 and had an on-base percentage of .700 in helping the Bulldogs to a 3-1 week and a 2-1 start to SoCon play on the week. The senior from Metarie, Louisiana, hit four home runs, driving in nine runs and scoring 10. After being hit by a pitch and scoring a run in Samford’s 12-1 win over North Alabama on Tuesday, Klein erupted to go 10-for-13 (.769) in the Bulldogs’ series wins over ETSU. Klein was 3-for-3 with a three-run homer and three runs scored and was hit by two pitches to reach base five times on the day in Friday’s 19-7 win. In Saturday’s series-clinching 14-6 win, Klein was 4-for-6 with a two-run homer and four runs scored, adding a stolen base. In Sunday’s finale, a 17-12 ETSU win, Klein was 3-for-4 with two home runs – a two-run blast and a solo shot. Klein also walked and singled on the day.
 
Samford (13-11, 2-1 SoCon), which had won seven straight before Sunday’s setback, returns to action at Mississippi State on Tuesday before hosting The Citadel (14-9, 1-2) for a three-game weekend set starting Friday.
 
Torres threw six innings of two-hit, scoreless relief in Western Carolina’s 10-4 win at UNCG on Friday, picking up the victory. The graduate student from Woodstock, Georgia, tossed his longest outing in a Catamount uniform, striking out a season-best seven against just one walk. After surrendering a two-out double in the fifth inning, Torres retired 10 straight UNCG batters, with six of his seven strikeouts in that span. Torres struck out the side in the eighth, getting the last two batters looking. Torres, the Catamounts’ wins leader on the season, moved to 3-1, lowering his ERA to 1.71.
 
Western Carolina (10-14, 1-2) takes the field again at Mercer (16-9, 2-1) on Friday for the start of a three-game SoCon series.
 
Also nominated for player of the week: Nick Iannantone (ETSU), Jackson Cherry (Mercer), Kennedy Jones (UNCG), Justin Starke (VMI), James Hinson (Western Carolina) and Dixon Black (Wofford).
 
Also nominated for pitcher of the week: Cameron Reeves (The Citadel), Josh Farmer (Mercer), Julien Peissel (UNCG), Brody Westbrooks (Samford), Nathan Hawley (VMI) and Coulson Buchanan (Wofford).
 
 
2023 SoCon Players of the Week
Feb. 20        Ryan Galanie, Sr., 1B, Wofford
Feb. 27        Zac Morris, R-Jr., SS, VMI
March 6       David Wiley, So., OF, Wofford
March 13      Ryan Galanie, Sr., 1B, Wofford
March 20      Justin Starke, R-Jr., 3B, VMI
March 27      Stephen Klein, Sr., 1B, Samford
 
2023 SoCon Pitcher of the Week
Feb. 20        Josh Harlow, So., RHP, Mercer
Feb. 27        Carson Hobbs, Jr., RHP, Samford
March 6       Nathanial Tate, Sr., RHP, ETSU
March 13      Josh Farmer, R-Sr., RHP, Mercer
March 20      Nathanial Tate, Sr., RHP, ETSU
March 27      Nick Torres, Gr., RHP, Western Carolina