We love it when OVC players are able to stand out among all other Division I athletes, and last week several baseball players gave us something to talk about. Here are some news and notes about a few players that are hot right now in the OVC and players you should make sure to keep an eye on during the remainder of the season and postseason.
First off we'd like to congratulate Jacksonville State's Bert Smith, who last weekend set the conference record for career hits and at-bats. On April 17, the senior second baseman set the record for hits registering his 288th mark against Austin Peay and breaking the previous record of 287 held by Jeremy Johnson (Southeast Missouri, 1997-2000). Smith now has 289 career hits.
On April 7 against No. 19 Alabama, Smith became the OVC’s all-time leader in at-bats, passing the mark of 831 career at-bats previously held by Middle Tennessee’s Clay Snellgrove (1994-97). Smith now has 864 career at-bats. Smith has now played in 212 career games, just 12 away from equaling the OVC career mark of 224 held by MTSU’s Snellgrove (1994-97).
Morehead State's Drew Lee is certainly one player to keep an eye on, as he was named Louisville Slugger National Player of the Week on Monday. Lee has 181 career RBI and is moving in on the OVC record of 208 (and has stood since the 1981 season). Lee is currently sixth in the nation in hits with 68 this season. He is also 20th in home runs per game at .38, sixth in RBIs per game with 1.56 a contest, 27th in slugging percentage, third in total bases with 128.
The National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association (NCBWA) released the Pro-Line Athletic National Player of the Week awards for the period ending April 18 and Lee was named National Hitter of the Week.
Lee hit .550 (11-for-20) with 12 runs scored, three doubles, five home runs, 14 RBIs, two stolen bases and a 1.450 slugging percentage in four Morehead State victories last week. Lee started a weekend sweep of OVC foe Eastern Kentucky by homering three times in game one of Saturday's doubleheader. He drove in two more runs in the second game of the twin bill, bringing Saturday's RBI total to six. Lee concluded the week by adding another homer and driving in five additional runs. During the week Lee broke the Morehead State career RBI record and now has 181 for his career (27 away from the all-time OVC mark).
TTU's A.J. Kirby-Jones has 18 home runs, which leads all of Division I and is hitting .49 home runs a game, also leading the nation. He also has the nation's best slugging percentage at .899, is fifth in OPB at .561 and is third in hits with 69.
Not hitting related but still some other honors for OVC players: EKU’s junior closer Ryne Purcell is one of 45 players named to the NCBWA’s Stopper of the Year Award Watch List. The award is given to the top relief pitcher in college baseball. Purcell has an OVC-best eight saves this season, which is currently ninth in the country. At the conclusion of the regular season, the Division I national saves leader and four other relief pitching standouts will be selected as finalists and released Wednesday, June 2, prior to start of NCAA regional tournament competition. The NCBWA's All-America Committee then will select the winner, with this year's recipient to be announced on the opening day of the College World Series on June 19.
Southeast Missouri State senior catcher Jim Klocke is 1 of 10 finalists for the Lowe's Senior CLASS award. Klocke, who leads the Redhawks in RBI this season, has been a major reason why the Redhawks have the hottest bats in the Ohio Valley Conference and rank fifth nationally in batting average and sixth in hits.
The award, which stands for "Celebrating Loyalty and Achievement for Staying in School," focuses on the complete student-athlete on and off the field. Each candidate was chosen based on four criteria: classroom, character, community, and competition.
Also, make sure you vote on our poll to the left on who you think is the best hitter in the OVC. Plenty of good candidates! Comment and tell us why you think the player you voted for is the best.
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