Outfielder earns CollegeBaseballInsider.com Louisville Slugger Central Region Player of the Week honors

May 2, 2013 | News, UToday
By Brian DeBenedictis



Senior outfielder Ben Hammer added another feather to his cap as CollegeBaseballInsider.com named him the Louisville Slugger Central Region Player of the Week Wednesday.

Hammer

Hammer

On Monday, Hammer was selected the Mid-American Conference West Division Player of the Week.

The fifth-year Rocket batted a flashy .611 (11 for 18) with a squad-tying best six runs scored, one double, a team-best two home runs and a squad-high 12 RBI in four games last week. Hammer also accumulated a whopping 1.000 slugging percentage and a team-high .650 on-base percentage to help the reigning MAC West Division Champions win three of the four contests. The Wayne, Ohio, native hit safely in every game, posting three multi-hit efforts.

Hammer opened the week with a perfect 4-for-4 effort with a season-high four runs scored, a collegiate-best two round trippers, and a season-high five RBI against Big East member Notre Dame Tuesday, April 23.

He followed up that performance with a 1-for-5 effort and one RBI at Western Michigan in Friday’s MAC series opener April 26.

The following afternoon against the division rival Broncos, Hammer finished 3-for-5 with one run scored and two RBI. Hammer then wrapped up the outstanding week going 3-for-4 with one run scored, one walk and four RBI. 


The 2011 second-team All-MAC selection has hit safely in 15 of the 18 league contests, batting a team-high .379 (25 for 66) with a team-high 20 RBI.

Hammer and the Rockets (17-25, 8-10 MAC) will return to the diamond this weekend, May 3-5, with a three-game series vs. MAC West Division frontrunner Northern Illinois (18-24, 13-5 MAC) at Scott Park. Friday’s first pitch from the corner of Hill Avenue and Parkside Boulevard is slated for 3:05 p.m.

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