SPARTANBURG, S.C. – Samford infielder Garrett Howe and right-hander Michael Ross have been named the Southern Conference baseball player and pitcher of the week, respectively, for all competition from April 29-May 5. The awards are selected by the league office.
Howe, who earns the honor for the second time this season, hit .619 (13-of-21) over a four-game span last week, recording multiple hits in all four contests as he led the Bulldogs to three wins. The Dacula, Georgia, native posted four doubles and two home runs among his 13 hits, including four hits in the Bulldogs' 12-5 win over Mercer on Sunday (May 5) and had at least three hits in all four games. He drove in eight runs, including three multi-RBI games and scored seven runs, while finishing the week with a 1.095 slugging percentage. He added a walk and was hit by a pitch twice to bolster his .667 on-base percentage. Howe was 3-for-6 with a double and two RBIs at North Alabama on Wednesday (May 1). He went 3-for-5 with three doubles in Friday's 9-1 win over Mercer, then went 3-for-5 with a home run and three RBIs in Saturday's 20-15 loss, while finishing 4-for-5 with a home run and three RBIs Sunday's series finale. Howe is on a six-game hitting streak after posting a 19-game hitting streak earlier this season.
Ross, who claims the accolade for the third time this season, earned his 10th victory of the season by tossing seven innings and allowing just one run on six hits in Samford's victory over Mercer last Friday night (May 3). The Lakeland, Florida, native struck out four batters, had zero walks and limited the Bears' hitters to a .240 batting-average-against. Ross leads the SoCon with a 2.54 ERA and has struck out a league-leading 89 batters in 76 innings this season.
Samford (31-16, 12-3 SoCon) visits North Alabama for a midweek contest on Tuesday (May 7), before traveling to UNCG (29-16, 13-5) for a three-game conference series over the weekend.
Other nominees for player of the week: Travis Elliott (The Citadel), Nick Iannantone (ETSU), Jake Ogden (UNCG), Zach Ketterman (Western Carolina) and Dixon Black (Wofford)
Other nominees for pitcher of the week: Michael Harpster (ETSU), Hunter Shuey (UNCG), Dante Visconti (Western Carolina) and Mason Compton (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
April 22 Zach Ketterman, Sr., INF, Western Carolina
April 29 Caleb Cozart, Sr., INF, UNCG
May 6 Garrett Howe, Sr., INF, 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
April 1 Alex Flood, Gr., RHP, Samford
April 8 Michael Ross, Sr., RHP, Samford
April 15 Carson Lore, Jr., RHP, Samford
April 22 Zac Cowan, So., RHP, Wofford
April 29 Jack Thompson, Sr., RHP, VMI
May 6 Michael Ross, Sr., RHP, Samford