SPARTANBURG, S.C. – Western Carolina infielder Zach Ketterman and Samford right-hander Carson Lore have been named the Southern Conference baseball player and pitcher of the week, respectively, for all competition from April 8-14. The awards are selected by the league office.
Ketterman hit .471 (8-of-17) last week, recording three multi-hit games as he led the Catamounts to a pair of wins. The Biglerville, Pennsylvania, native posted a double and three home runs in the three-game weekend series against UNCG and finished the week with a 1.059 slugging percentage. He added two walks and was hit by a pitch enroute to a .550 on-base percentage. Ketterman went 3-for-4 with a double and three RBIs in the 9-5 road win at Presbyterian last Tuesday (April 9) and belted a solo homer as part of a 2-for-5 showing in Friday's series-opening, 15-11, setback to UNCG. He added a solo home run in Saturday’s 15-11 loss, extending his hitting streak to seven games. The senior wrapped up the series with a 2-for-4 effort on Sunday (April 14) by hitting another solo home run and driving in the game-winning run in the 10th inning with an RBI single through the right side.
Lore made three relief appearances on the mound for Samford last week, tossing five innings. The right-hander allowed just one unearned run and captured two saves. He pitched the final two innings and picked up the save in Tuesday night's, 9-7, win over No. 10 Kentucky, then pitched two innings in the series-opening, 9-6, win over ETSU last Friday night (April 12). He allowed just one unearned run in the appearance. In game two of the series – another 9-6 Bulldog victory, he tossed a final hitless inning to pick up his second save of the week. Lore limited opponents to a .118 batting-average-against on the week.
Western Carolina (19-14, 5-4 SoCon) hosts App State in a midweek contest on Tuesday (April 16), before welcoming Samford (24-11, 8-1) for a three-game conference series at home, Friday-Sunday (April 19-21). Samford hosts Troy on Tuesday (April 16).
Other nominees for player of the week: Cameron Sisneros (ETSU), Aidan Brewer (UNCG), Garrett Staton (Samford), Brett Cook (VMI) and Brice Martinez (Wofford)
Other nominees for pitcher of the week: Owen Kovacs (ETSU), Hunter Shuey (UNCG), Will Riley (VMI), Jonathan Todd (Western Carolina) and Kenny Michaels (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
April 1 Ty Dalley, So., OF, Mercer
April 8 Marshall Toole, Jr., OF, Wofford
April 15 Zach Ketterman, Sr., INF, Western Carolina
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
April 1 Alex Flood, Gr., RHP, Samford
April 8 Michael Ross, Sr., RHP, Samford
April 15 Carson Lore, Jr., RHP, Samford