SPARTANBURG, S.C. – Samford outfielder Andrew Bennett and UNCG right-hander Rob Ready have been named the Southern Conference baseball player and pitcher of the week, respectively, for all competition from March 18-24. The awards are selected by the league office.
 
Bennett hit .643 (9-of-14) last week with two doubles, a home run and four RBIs as in the Bulldogs went 4-0. The Kennesaw, Georgia, native, had at least one base hit in each of the four games and posted two or more hits in three of the contests, including three-hit games in both ends of last Saturday’s doubleheader sweep of VMI. Bennett went 3-for-3 with a double, a home run and one RBI in game one of the series with VMI, then went 3-for-5 with two RBIs in the nightcap.

Ready tossed a complete game in last Saturday’s 6-1 win over Mercer. The right-hander recorded a career-high nine strikeouts, while surrendering just one run and walking one batter over the nine innings. The junior from Bridgeton, New Jersey, is currently second in the SoCon in ERA (2.52) and innings pitched (35.2)

Samford (16-7, 3-0 SoCon), who has won five straight, will host Mississippi State in a midweek contest on Tuesday (March 26), before opening a three-game homestand with Longwood over the weekend. UNCG (13-10, 2-1), will host N.C. State on Tuesday and ETSU (16-7, 2-1) in a three-game series, Thursday-Saturday (March 28-30).
 
Other nominees for player of the week: Nick Iannantone (ETSU), Conner Todaro (Mercer), Jake Ogden (UNCG), Grayson Fitzwater (VMI) and Dixon Black (Wofford)
 
Other nominees for pitcher of the week: Andrew Ronne (ETSU), Colton Cosper (Mercer), Alex Flood (Samford), Nathan Hawley (VMI) and Braden Hofmeyer (Wofford)
 


2024 SoCon Baseball Players of the Week
Feb. 19                            Caleb Cozart, Sr., INF, UNCG
Feb. 26            Parker Lester, Jr., 1B, Mercer
March 4          Garrett Howe, Sr., INF, Samford
March 11        Dixon Black, Jr., 3B, Wofford
March 18        Nate Stocum, Sr., OF, Western Carolina
March 25        Andrew Bennett, Sr., OF, Samford

2024 SoCon Baseball Pitchers of the Week
Feb. 19                           Michael Ross, Sr., RHP, Samford
Feb. 26            Julien Peissel, So., RHP, UNCG
March 4        Braden Hofmeyer, Jr., RHP, Wofford
March 11        Graham Yntema, Sr., LHP, Mercer        
March 18        Jonathan Todd, Sr., RHP, Western Carolina
March 25        Rob Ready, Jr., RHP, UNCG