The weekly Big West baseball awards haul features UC Irvine's Francis Larson as the Field Player of the Week and Cal State Fullerton's Dylan Floro as the Pitcher of the Week. Larson set the school's career home run record while Floro threw a complete game shutout in only his second career start.
Larson Slams Pair Of Home Runs To Become UCI Career Leader
Francis Larson (Yorba Linda, Calif./Esperanza HS) hit .563 and posted a slugging percentage of 1.188 in four games as the UC Irvine senior garnered Big West Baseball Field Player of the Week honors.
Larson had nine hits in 16 at-bats during UCI’s 2-2 week, including a series win against conference foe Cal Poly.
He recorded a career-high seven of his eight RBI for the week in an offensive outburst on Sunday. Larson went 4-for-6 with a triple and two home runs, falling a double shy of hitting for the cycle. He blasted a three-run home run in the first to cap a five-run inning, then boomed another three-run shot in the seventh. The latter established Larson as UCI’s new career home run leader with 22.
The catcher had multiple hits in two other games to give him five extra base hits total for the week. He went 2-for-4 with a double and RBI in an 8-6 non-conference loss to USC Tuesday. Larson also walked three times and got hit by a pitch to record a .650 on base percentage.
Others nominated: Luke Yoder (Cal Poly); Gary Brown (Cal State Fullerton); Ryan Pineda (Cal State Northridge); David Popkins (UC Davis); Ben Edelstein (UC Santa Barbara); Nick Longmire (Pacific)
Floro Stifles UC Riverside In Complete Game Shutout
Dylan Floro (Merced, Calif./Buhach Colony HS) pitched Cal State Fullerton one step closer to a conference title with a complete game shutout against UC Riverside Sunday, earning the sophomore Big West Baseball Pitcher of the Week kudos.
The right-hander used 102 pitches to keep the Highlanders off the board in a 6-0 victory to secure the series sweep. Floro allowed just six hits and two walks, striking out two to extend his streak without surrendering an earned run to 17 2/3 innings.
Floro did not let a Highlander runner get past second base in his just second career start. He also pitched an inning of relief on Friday, getting the Titans out of a bases-loaded, one-out jam in the seventh with a strikeout and a groundout. An eighth-inning error by his second baseman led to an unearned run.
This marks the third Pitcher of the Week award for CSF this season. Noe Ramirez received the honor on March 8 and 29.
Others nominated: Justen Gorski (Cal State Northridge); Scott Lyman (UC Davis); Daniel Bibona (UC Irvine); Marcus Pointer (Pacific)