SoCon Announces Weekly Baseball Awards

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SPARTANBURG, SC – Samford senior Parker McDonald was named SoCon Baseball Player of the Week, and ETSU junior Michael Harpster was named SoCon Baseball Pitcher of the Week following games played from March 23 through March 29.

McDonald (Tallahassee, FL / Lawton Chiles HS) led the Bulldogs to a 3-1 week and a non-conference series win over Presbyterian. He batted .615 (8-for-13) with four doubles, four runs scored, one home run, and four RBI. The Bulldogs’ third baseman coaxed three walks, posted a .688 on-base percentage, and produced a league-best 1.841 OPS with 15 total bases. He started the week with an RBI double in a 7-2 win at Troy, then followed by going 3-for-3 with a pair of doubles and a walk in a 7-5 loss to the Blue Hose in Friday’s series opener. McDonald came through with a pair of hits and an RBI double in Saturday’s 7-4 win over Presbyterian, then closed his week with a 2-for-3 effort and an inside-the-park, two-run home run to close out Sunday’s 5-0 series clincher.

A first-team All-SoCon choice at third base in 2025, McDonald is batting .244 this season with three home runs, nine doubles, and 15 RBI. He has reached base safely in seven consecutive games and is in the midst of a four-game hitting streak.

Harpster (Lynchburg, VA / E.C. Glass HS) earned his second SoCon Pitcher of the Week honor of the season after hurling a season-best 7.0 innings without allowing an earned run in a 4-3, series-clinching win over VMI Saturday. The righty fanned seven Keydets, walked just one, and scattered three hits in the win.

Harpster improved to 4-1 this season with a strong 3.19 ERA in seven starts for the Bucs. Harpster has forged a 19-5 career record in his three seasons on the mound at ETSU.

Samford (12-15, 1-2 SoCon) will travel to West Georgia on March 31 for a 4:00 pm first pitch, before returning to SoCon action at home this weekend with a visit from ETSU.

ETSU (19-4, 4-1 SoCon) will not play a midweek game this week, traveling to face Samford on April 2 in the opener of a three-game SoCon series.

Also Nominated for Player of the Week: Christian Stratis (The Citadel), Ian Guanzon (ETSU), Luke Jenkins (UNC Greensboro), Logan Shepherd (Mercer), Cole Raile (VMI), Walker Fox (Western Carolina), Marc Quarrie (Wofford).

Also Nominated for Pitcher of the Week: Andrew Buffkin (The Citadel), Cannon Lee (UNC Greensboro), Jeb Johnson (Mercer), Noah Berry (Samford), Andrew Jones (VMI), Carter Burnette (Western Carolina), Cullen Condon (Wofford).

2025-26 SoCon Player of the Week

Feb. 16 – Andrew Quarless, R-So., Western Carolina (C, Winston-Salem, NC)

Feb. 23 – Braydon Kersey, Jr., Mercer (DH/INF, Alpharetta, GA)

Mar 2 – Titan Kamaka, Sr., Mercer (SS, Orlando, FL)

Mar 9 – Grayson Fitzwater, Sr., VMI (1B, Suffolk, VA)

Mar 16 – Grayson Fitzwater, Sr., VMI (1B, Suffolk, VA)

Mar 23 – Tristan Curless, Sr., ETSU (1B/P, Amarillo, TX)

Mar 30 – Parker McDonald, Sr., Samford (3B, Tallahassee, FL)

2025-26 SoCon Pitcher of the Week

Feb. 16 – Andrew Marble, Jr., Samford (RHP, Hurley, MS)

Feb. 23 – Michael Harpster, Jr., ETSU (RHP, Lynchburg, VA)

Mar 2 – Bryce Coulter, Jr., The Citadel (RHP, Sumter, SC)

Mar 9 – Mason Snyder, Jr., Western Carolina (RHP, Ocilla, GA)

Mar 16 – Carter Burnette, So., Western Carolina (RHP, Asheville, NC)

Mar 23 – Joseph Lee, Sr., Samford (RHP, San Jose, CA)

Mar 30 – Michael Harpster, Jr., ETSU (RHP, Lynchburg, VA)