04/05/2011 – Turks Tidbits
Written By Casey Zeiders
James Madison University Sports Management Intern
HARRISONBURG- Greetings my fellow Turks fanatics, we’re back for another Weekly Player Round Up. While the Major League season is just getting into the swing of things, the college season is entering it’s third month, and our Turks are still putting on a show at their schools.
Ouachita Baptist junior Brock Green had a great week at the plate. In a three games series against Henderson State, Green went an impressive 7-11, while driving in four runs and scoring four times. He also drew three walks and had three doubles in the series. In two games against Southeastern Oklahoma State Green batted .600 and hit his second homerun of the season. The junior also scored three times and knocked in three runs as well. For the season Green in now batting .330 and has driven in 21 runs. He has 34 hits, 10 of which are doubles, and has scored 29 times.
J.J. Loker of USC Aiken has been playing very well for the Pacers. The sophomore batted .333 in five games this week. He also scored four times and hit his third long ball of the season. On the year Loker has batted in 24 runs, along with scoring 24 times. He has 33 hits and has stolen six bases.
Wingate’s Dodson McPherson has been getting national attention since before the season started. The Preseason All-SAC selection has put up extraordinary numbers for the Bulldogs this season. He was named the South Atlantic Conference Player of the Week last week. This season, McPherson is first in the nation in hits and runs batted in. He is also third and forth in runs and total bases, respectively. McPherson has reached base safely in 39 of 41 games this season for the Bulldogs. In the South Atlantic Conference, he is first in runs, RBIs, and triples. He is second in hits, total bases, and homeruns. His slugging percentage, batting average, and on base percentage rank third, forth, and fifth, respectively. He finished the week off batting .364 and scored four runs. He also hit a three-run homerun and drove in five runs.
Ryan Chapman is continuing to be impressive for the Red Storm this season. The Rio Grande righty has been absolutely dominant. Chapman earned three more saves this past week, raising his season total to nine. He also started his first game of the season, going 5.1 innings and recording eight strikeouts in a no decision. Chapman has struck out 23 batters and is holding opponents to a 1.21 earned run average. He has only allowed 17 hits in 22.1 innings pitched this season. Opponents are batting an abysmal .213 against Chapman this season.
Justin Somers of Wingate University has been enormous for the Bulldogs this season. Not only does the sophomore have five saves, but he also started four games this season. Somers picked up his fourth win of the season in a 14-6 victory over Carson-Newman. Somers went an outstanding 8.2 innings and while striking out seven batters. This season, Somers has only allowed 26 hits, no homeruns or triples, in 38.2 innings pitched. The Bulldogs pitcher has fanned 45 batters and has only given up 11 earned runs all season. Somers currently has a 2.56 earned run average and is holding batters to a .188 average.
Our Turks are getting better and better as the season progresses, and people are finally taking notice. The Turks have had two players, in consecutive weeks, be named as their conferences player of the week. Thanks for joining me, and keep watching out for more Turks Weekly Round Ups.
Go Turks!