SoCon Announces Baseball Weekly Awards for May 4

SPARTANBURG, SC – Mercer senior Chris Katz was named SoCon Baseball Player of the Week and Wofford junior Alec Bouchard was named SoCon Pitcher of the Week following games played from April 27-May 3.

Katz (Raleigh, NC / Heritage HS) batted .500 (7-of-15) with two home runs, seven runs scored, three doubles, and eight RBI in four games for the Bears last week. He started with a bang, driving in six runs on two hits in a 10-9 win at Georgia Southern – belting a game-tying grand slam in the bottom of the ninth. Teammate Eli Stephens followed with a solo shot on the next pitch to win that game. In a series win over Samford, Katz led Mercer with a 2-for-4 effort in the opening victory, then went 3-for-4 with four runs scored, a double and a home run in Saturday’s series clincher. Katz finished the week with an eye-popping 1.775 OPS.

Katz has been a workhorse for the Bears this season, batting .399 in 48 starts with 16 home runs, 59 RBI, 15 doubles and a .511 on base percentage. Katz leads the SoCon in RBI and ranks second in home runs. He has struck out only 17 times in 183 at bats this season and has drawn 46 free passes (40 walks, six HBP). The Bears (35-13, 9-6 SoCon) sit in a four-way tie for second place currently with ETSU, Samford, and Wofford.

Bouchard (Soddy Daisy, TN / Notre Dame HS) secured his second SoCon Pitcher of the Week award this season with a 9.0 inning, complete-game effort in the series opener vs. first-place Western Carolina. The junior righty struck out 14 batters, didn’t issue a walk, and allowed only two hits and one run. The Terriers went on to a 5-1 win, increasing Bouchard’s league-leading win total on the mound.

In 12 starts this season, Bouchard has gone 8-2 with a 1.68 ERA and 86 strikeouts in 69.2 innings of work. He leads all SoCon starting pitchers in wins, ERA, strikeouts and innings pitched. Opposing teams are batting just .198 against Bouchard this season. Wofford (31-17, 9-6 SoCon) is in a four-way tie with Mercer, Samford, and ETSU heading into May.

Also nominated for Player of the Week: Jacob Budzik (UNC Greensboro), Jamie Palmese (ETSU), Noah Quarless (Western Carolina), Cole Raile (VMI).

Also nominated for Pitcher of the Week: Tadan Bell (ETSU), Noah Berry (Samford), Will Holmes (The Citadel), John Horton (UNC Greensboro), Garrett Lambert (Mercer), Mason Snyder (Western Carolina).

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)

Apr. 6 – Ben Timblin, So., Wofford (Signal Mountain, TN)

Apr. 13 – Jaylen Jones, R-Fr., Western Carolina (Loganville, GA)

Apr. 20 – Tristan Curless, Sr., ETSU (1B/P, Amarillo, TX)

Apr. 27 – Michael Gibson, Sr., The Citadel (DH/P, Rock Hill, SC)

May 4 – Chris Katz, Sr., Mercer (OF, Raleigh, NC)

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)

Apr. 6 – Mason Snyder, Jr., Western Carolina (RHP, Ocilla, GA)

Apr. 13 – Alec Bouchard, Jr., Wofford (RHP, Soddy Daisy, TN)

Apr. 20 – Garrett Lambert, R-Fr., Mercer (RHP, Lilburn, GA)

Apr. 27 – Miguel Hugas, Jr., Mercer (RHP, Caracas, Venezuela)

May 4 – Alec Bouchard, Jr., Wofford (RHP, Soddy Daisy, TN)