Sort of belated recognition:
The Gamecock's Wesley Clarke is putting together quite the notable season for 2021 Baseball. He has earned his second week's worth of conference and national honors off of his efforts last week against Winthrop and Clemson.
But before that accomplishment, the junior INF/OF was named the D1Baseball/AstroTurf National Player of the Week, the Perfect Game National Player of the Week, a Collegiate Baseball National Player of the Week and finally was the Southeastern Conference Co-Player of the Week for the previous week of February 19th-25th which included the season-opening series against Dayton and a mid-week game against Winthrop.
In those 4 games, Clarke - a NCBWA Preseason First Team All-American - was 10-for-13 with six home runs, 12 RBI, 11 runs scored, two doubles, 30 total bases and seven walks. Wes also had a 2.308 slugging percentage and a .850 on-base percentage in a sweep of Dayton and a midweek win over Winthrop.
In the Winthrop win, Clarke hit three home runs, becoming the first Gamecock to hit three in a game since Justin Smoak vs. USC Upstate in 2008. He also had a pair of homers in Saturday's 12-5 win over Dayton.
Now, Wesley performs an encore to that feat by being named a National Baseball Player of the Week by Collegiate Baseball, by Perfect Game, and by the Golden Spikes Award. The Collegiate Baseball and Perfect Game honors are for the 2nd week in a row. In addition to those, Clarke was also named the Southeastern Conference Co-Player of the Week for the 2nd week in a row. Clarke, who was voted to the Preseason All-SEC 2nd Team, shares the honor with Ole Miss' Peyton Chatagnier in Week 1 and with Vanderbilt's Dominic Keegan in Week 2.
Clarke belted five home runs in three games last week, driving in eight while having a 1.833 slugging percentage and a .688 on-base percentage. The junior went 3-for-3 with three home runs, four runs scored, three RBI and two walks in the 12-4 win over Winthrop on Tuesday night. Clarke drove in a run and walked in a 3-2 win over in-state rival Clemson on Saturday. He then got back on the home run train on Sunday, going 3-for-4 with two home runs, three runs scored, four RBI and a walk in the 8-7 walk-off win against the Tigers.
Also earning recognition was freshman pitcher Will Sanders, who garnered this week's SEC Freshman of the Week honors.
Sanders had a hand in all three wins for Carolina this week. The freshman started the Winthrop game, going 2.2 innings with six strikeouts, allowing just two hits with no runs and no walks. He then picked up the win against Clemson on Saturday. Sanders came in the 11th inning with runners on first and second with no outs and induced a double play and ground-out to end the Clemson threat. Carolina then went on to win in the bottom of the 11th. On Sunday vs. Clemson, Sanders again came in with runners on first and second with one out in the ninth and got a fly out and ground-out to end the Clemson threat. He picked up the win after Carolina walked it off in the ninth. On the season, Sanders has not allowed an earned run in 5.1 innings of work.
Congratulations on the honors guys, and keep up the outstanding performances!!
The Gamecock's Wesley Clarke is putting together quite the notable season for 2021 Baseball. He has earned his second week's worth of conference and national honors off of his efforts last week against Winthrop and Clemson.
But before that accomplishment, the junior INF/OF was named the D1Baseball/AstroTurf National Player of the Week, the Perfect Game National Player of the Week, a Collegiate Baseball National Player of the Week and finally was the Southeastern Conference Co-Player of the Week for the previous week of February 19th-25th which included the season-opening series against Dayton and a mid-week game against Winthrop.
In those 4 games, Clarke - a NCBWA Preseason First Team All-American - was 10-for-13 with six home runs, 12 RBI, 11 runs scored, two doubles, 30 total bases and seven walks. Wes also had a 2.308 slugging percentage and a .850 on-base percentage in a sweep of Dayton and a midweek win over Winthrop.
In the Winthrop win, Clarke hit three home runs, becoming the first Gamecock to hit three in a game since Justin Smoak vs. USC Upstate in 2008. He also had a pair of homers in Saturday's 12-5 win over Dayton.
Now, Wesley performs an encore to that feat by being named a National Baseball Player of the Week by Collegiate Baseball, by Perfect Game, and by the Golden Spikes Award. The Collegiate Baseball and Perfect Game honors are for the 2nd week in a row. In addition to those, Clarke was also named the Southeastern Conference Co-Player of the Week for the 2nd week in a row. Clarke, who was voted to the Preseason All-SEC 2nd Team, shares the honor with Ole Miss' Peyton Chatagnier in Week 1 and with Vanderbilt's Dominic Keegan in Week 2.
Clarke belted five home runs in three games last week, driving in eight while having a 1.833 slugging percentage and a .688 on-base percentage. The junior went 3-for-3 with three home runs, four runs scored, three RBI and two walks in the 12-4 win over Winthrop on Tuesday night. Clarke drove in a run and walked in a 3-2 win over in-state rival Clemson on Saturday. He then got back on the home run train on Sunday, going 3-for-4 with two home runs, three runs scored, four RBI and a walk in the 8-7 walk-off win against the Tigers.
Also earning recognition was freshman pitcher Will Sanders, who garnered this week's SEC Freshman of the Week honors.
Sanders had a hand in all three wins for Carolina this week. The freshman started the Winthrop game, going 2.2 innings with six strikeouts, allowing just two hits with no runs and no walks. He then picked up the win against Clemson on Saturday. Sanders came in the 11th inning with runners on first and second with no outs and induced a double play and ground-out to end the Clemson threat. Carolina then went on to win in the bottom of the 11th. On Sunday vs. Clemson, Sanders again came in with runners on first and second with one out in the ninth and got a fly out and ground-out to end the Clemson threat. He picked up the win after Carolina walked it off in the ninth. On the season, Sanders has not allowed an earned run in 5.1 innings of work.
Congratulations on the honors guys, and keep up the outstanding performances!!
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